


A Magic All Its Own

by twtd



Series: A Magic All Its Own [1]
Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: All of the AUs?, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Princess Diaries Fusion, Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/F, Hecate is a useless lesbian and also stubborn, Julie Hubble is not dead, Pippa is just as useless, Where to start?, for Hecate and Mildred, for Hecate and Pippa, for Mildred
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-05-30 15:25:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 44,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15099596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twtd/pseuds/twtd
Summary: “Royalty is completely different than celebrity. Royalty has a magic all its own.”— Philip TreacyHecate is the Queen of England and Mildred the niece she never knew about. Hecate is determined to turn Mildred into proper princess material at all costs. Pippa is just the person to help, nevermind that she and Hecate haven't spoken since university. Julie is skeptical of the entire affair."Hecate pursed her lips. "What are the odds that this is a scam?" Her brother had been reckless his entire life, even more so when he was younger. Party boy. The tabloids followed his every move. It was entirely possible that he did have a daughter out there somewhere. Had Ælfwynn left an heir behind? If this girl was his daughter, she would be next in line for the throne."We need to find the girl and we need to do it with the utmost discretion." Hecate took a deep breath and sighed. No good would come of this."





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I posted part of this on tumblr and it seemed like there was enough interest for me to keep writing it, so here we go. I have a good idea where this is going and a fairly detailed outline, but I have no idea how long it's going to take or what the updating schedule is going to look like.
> 
> I made Mildred's birthday up out of nowhere, but if it's stated somewhere let me know and I'll fix it. 
> 
> I hope you'll join me on this journey.

Hecate pinched the bridge of her nose. Even in death, Æthelred was determined to cause her no end in troubles. He had only been dead a few days and the hagiography had already started. Hecate didn't have the luxury of only remembering the positive aspects of her brother's life. She had a country to shepherd through their grief and the practicalities of her brother's _legacy_ to contend with. Her own mourning, and despite her current exasperation she would mourn, would have to wait.

"Your Majesty," Ada said as she closed the door behind her and stepped into the Queen's presence. "There's something we need to discuss."

“Then discuss it.” Hecate turned from where she had been looking out the window and took in Ada. Ada was used to her curt manner. She had been Hecate’s private secretary since she had inherited the crown nearly 20 years previously. Though it had been an uneasy relationship at first, now Hecate saw the other woman as something of a mother figure. She certainly seemed to care for Hecate far more than her own mother had.

“We found this when going through the Prince’s possessions.” Ada held out a tattered photograph. The edges were bent and creased. Someone had clearly looked at the photograph often. Hecate took it and glanced at the picture of a young girl as she clung to a merry-go-round. She flipped the photo over on it’s reverse it said:

 _Mildred_  
_2012_  
_Age 8_

“It was tucked into one of his journals.” Ada had the journal with her as well. She flipped it open to the page the photograph had marked. Hecate took it from her and looked at the page.

_“May 21st, 2007_  
_My daughter was born today. I had to bribe someone at the hospital to tell me. Her name’s Mildred Hubble. ~~I hope~~ I know I did the right thing. I won’t have her caught up in all of this. God forbid Hecate ever finds out.”_

The journal entry continued from there, but Hecate has seen all she needed to see. She snapped the journal shut and pursed her lips before looking down at the photograph again. “I’m to believe that Æthelred had some sort of secret child 11 years ago and didn’t tell anyone?”

“Not no one. There’s a record of payments under a pseudonym to one Julie Hubble every month for the last 11 years. They’re not particularly substantial.” Ada furrowed her brow, her concern clear.

Hecate pursed her lips. "What are the odds that this is a scam?" Her brother had been reckless his entire life, even more so when he was younger. Party boy. The tabloids followed his every move. It was entirely possible that he did have a daughter out there somewhere. It was entirely possible that he was being blackmailed. Either way, Hecate needed to know, both for her own piece of mind and for what it would mean for the country. Had Æthelred left an heir behind? Hecate herself was nearly beyond the age to bear children. If this girl was his daughter, she would be next in line for the throne. Hecate shivered at the thought of the turmoil that would cause upon her death. Hecate wrapped her arms around her midsection, a defensive gesture she had never quite trained herself out of.

"We need to find the girl and we need to do it with the utmost discretion." Hecate took a deep breath and sighed. No good would come of this.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Queen Hecate and Julie meet for the first time and they make some decisions about the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in the last chapter, I accidentally named Hecate's brother after an Anglo-Saxon queen (ish). I've corrected that so he's named after a king now.

"Can I help you?" Julie looked skeptically at the man standing on the other side of her threshold. She didn't get unexpected visitors, particularly not visitors who looked like him in his well-tailored suit and perfectly tied tie. She didn't get visitors who wore a tie at all. 

"Miss Hubble," He started before he was interrupted. 

"It's Ms. actually." The skeptical look hadn't left Julie's face. Who was this man? Why was he speaking to her? Deep wrinkles furrowed his brow, though the man himself was perhaps in his mid-30s. The sharp crease in his pants looked brittle. 

"Forgive me. Ms. Hubble, but I have a matter of some delicacy to speak with you about. May I come in?" He stood on her threshold, leaning forward already. Half a step and he would be inside. Julie wouldn't have that.

"I think you'll tell me who you are first." She crossed her arms and shifted to a firmer stance. She didn't invite unknown men into her flat no matter how delicate the subject. 

"Ah, yes. I'm Dennis Hawthorne. I'm here as a representative of the crown, and as I said, we need to speak privately. Preferably without your daughter present." Julie blinked at the man, at Dennis Hawthorne, representative of the Crown. What on earth could he want with her?

"I suppose it's only polite." Julie stood aside to let the man in. She wouldn't know what he wanted without inviting him in after all. "would you like some tea?" 

"No, thank you. You daughter?" he asked, looking around for Millie. 

"Is out walking a neighbor's dog and will be for some time." Julie narrowed her eyes. She'd no idea what he had to say to her, but if Millie couldn't be around, that didn't speak well to whatever it might be. 

"Good," Dennis paused. "Good. Now, I just need to confirm that you were getting a cheque each month from an Arthur Smythe." What did the crown care about that? They'd started when Mille was a baby and hadn't stopped since. She assumed they were from Dave through some sort of third party. 

"I don't see that that's any business of yours." Despite the oddness of the cheques, he still had no right to pry into her finances.

"I'm merely trying to confirm your identity." This conversation just got weirder and weirder. Couldn't he have just asked for her ID? Was this man even who he said he was? Still, she answered him.

"Well yes," Julie said. "Yes, I was. I've been putting them aside for Millie for when's she's older. I didn't get one last month though." She hadn't really thought anything of it. She didn't know why she was getting the cheques. She'd never counted on them. That they'd stopped was weird, and made her wonder about Dave, but there was no way to contact whoever had been sending them. She'd tried that when they'd first started arriving and gotten nowhere. At the time, she had been surprised the cheques hadn't bounced. 

"Thank you, that's all I needed to know," Dennis paused and shifted uncomfortably. Perhaps now he would get to the point of his visit. "The queen invites you to Buckingham Palace for an audience." It took Julie a moment and then she gaped. 

"The Queen? The Queen of England? Are you joking?" It had to be a joke, maybe some elaborate prank that Mille was pulling, though how's she'd gotten someone like Dennis to play along Julie had no idea. Still, Millie could be awfully persuasive. 

"It is not a joke. Her Majesty wishes to speak with you." Dennis straightened his shoulders. 

"With me? What on earth for?" Julie looked at the man in bafflement. This had to be a prank, though there was always the off chance that it wasn't. What would that mean? What would it mean that the Queen wanted to talk to _her_

"I'm afraid I can't say." Dennis shifted in his seat. 

"Can't or won't?" Julie asked, her eyes hard. It was definitely a prank.

"Can't," Dennis looked uncomfortable. "I simply do not know why you're being invited to the palace. It is… irregular." 

"And when is this invitation for?" Maybe she couldn't even go. It wasn't like the Queen would reschedule for her. 

"Late tomorrow morning. While your daughter is still in school," Dennis said. 

"Alright. You've got me curious now. Tell her majesty I'll be there." The only thing it could hurt was her pride when she got to the palace or wherever and they wouldn't let her in. 

"Excellent. There will be a car here to pick you up at 10:00." A car? There definitely wasn't going to be a car. She was going to be standing by the kerb in a new dress looking foolish while a care most certainly did not show up to that her to Buckingham Place. 

The door to the flat opened and Millie came bounding inside. She stopped short when she realized they had a visitor. Dennis looked over his shoulder at her. 

"I believe that concludes our business, Ms. Hubble," Dennis said as he stood. 

"If you say so." Ignoring Millie's look of confusion, Julie stood to show him out. Once he was gone Millie couldn't contain her curiosity anymore. She bounced on her toes, her hair mimicking the movement. 

"Who was that? Are you dating someone?" Millie looked up with a mischievous glint in her eye. It only increased Julie's certainty that this wasn't real. 

"Him? Definitely not." Dating? Someone like Dennis Hawthorne. She didn't think so. 

Mildred just shrugged her shoulders. "If you say so. Can I help you make lunch?"

***

Hecate sat as still as a statue in a chair in her office as she waited for Julie Hubble to arrive. They would meet in a sitting room, the least formal one in the palace, to have what was bound to be one of the most uncomfortable discussions Hecate had ever had. That included a conversation with a Prime Minister who liked the bottle just a bit too much. You would think that a man of his stature would know to be completely sober when meeting with the queen, but he had also been pompous enough that she doubted he cared.

A staff member opened the door. "Ms. Hubble is here, Your Majesty," she said as she waited for permission to leave. Hecate nodded and the staff member slipped back out. With one last fortifying breath, Hecate stood and moved toward the sitting room. The door opened in front of her and she looked at Julie as Julie popped up from her seat, only to dip into an awkward curtsy. Julie was wearing a nice dress, probably one she had bought the night before. Hecate was aware of the upset she could cause in people's lives, but she and Julie needed to speak. If this proved to be more than a hoax, Julie would have to get used to the meetings anyway. 

Hecate came closer and offered Julie her hand. Julie's palm was remarkably dry for someone who had never formally met royalty before, but perhaps that was a side effect of sleeping with them. It wasn't the most charitable thought, but Hecate didn't care. She pursed her lips in Ada's direction. 

"Ms. Hubble." Hecate looked down her nose at Julie, though it was more a product of her height that any disdain. "Let's take a seat and have tea." 

"Yes, your majesty." Julie looked like she wanted to say something else but she restrained herself. Probably a question about why she had been summoned. It might have been styled as an invitation, but Hecate knew the effect such an invitation would have. You simply didn't say no to the queen. 

"I hope you're well," Hecate said as she folded her hands in her lap. There were certain formalities to contend with. She wouldn't have Julie Hubble going to the press with a story that she had been an ungracious host. 

"Yes, ma'am," Julie replied. Before the small talk could continue, the tea service was brought in. Once they had cups in their hands, Hecate took a sip then pursed her lips. Ada shooed the rest of the staff from the room, leaving only herself, Julie and the queen sitting there. 

"I will get straight to the point. Did you know you were sleeping with my brother?" She knew she was being blunt, but better to get this conversation out of the way as quickly as possible. Questions of blackmail were at the forefront of her mind.

"Your brother? The prince? I don't understand. I've never met the prince." Julie looked completely baffled. Perhaps not a blackmailer then, if her reaction were to be trusted. 

"He thought differently." Hecate made a gesture and Ada passed the photograph and journal over to Julie. Julie stared at the picture for a long minute before she opened the journal to the marked page and read it. 

"That's my Millie alright, but her dad's a plumber. His name's Dave," Julie said with certainty. Still, Hecate needed to be sure. 

"Are you certain? Are you absolutely positive?" Hecate pressed. There could be no mistakes in this.

"Well, I did go out with a man a few times right after Dave left. I suppose Mille could be his. But he certainly wasn't a prince." Hecate gestured again and Ada placed another photograph in Julie's hand. It was a casual picture of Æthelred when he was closer to thirty rather than the 40 at which he died. 

Julie's sharp inhale confirmed Hecate's suspicions."So that was the man you were seeing."

"Yes, but he never told me he was the prince. Alexander something-or-other. He didn't look like the man in the papers either." Julie stared at the photo. Hecate lifted her tea to her lips but frowned when she found it had grown cold. She put the cup back down. 

Julie rubbed her forehead. "So tell me if I've got this straight: you all think that Mildred is, what, some sort of lost princess?" 

"We'll want a DNA test to be certain." There was simply no way they could proceed without one. 

"A DNA test? And if it comes back positive?" Julie's voice wavered, but she swallowed and continued. "What then?"

"Let's not worry about that before we know either way," Ada rubbed a hand across Julie's shoulders. Julie didn't look like she was taking any comfort from it. In her place, Hecate can't say that she would have either. 

"I hope we can trust in your discretion in this matter," Hecate said "Having it released to the press…" Hecate trailed off. God forbid this woman want that sort of attention. It would make this entire ordeal that much more complicated. 

"Is the last thing I want." Julie finished. "Look, my life's a lot easier if Dave's her father. I don't relish the idea of Millie being swept up in everything it means being a princess. You've nothing to worry about from me. We'll do the DNA test and then hopefully both our lives can return to normal."

Hecate inclined her head. "As you say, Ms. Hubble." Then this entire affair could be over and both she and Ms. Hubble could move forward with their lives.

***

Several weeks later, Hecate looked down at the piece of paper in her hand. It was positive. Delightful. It seemed she had a niece she had never met. What kind of person would the young Miss Hubble turn out to be, she wondered. She swallowed uncomfortably. She supposed she was going to have to get used to Ms. Hubble. She wondered just what sort of person Ms. Hubble was as well. It would make all the difference going forward. She hoped once again that Ms. Hubble wasn't the sort to seek glory or fame.

"Ada," Hecate swallowed, her throat working through her nervousness. "We need a plan." The royal household had plans for everything. This would be no different. They would make a plan, they would follow the plan, and then everything would go smoothly. That was how Hecate navigated her life. 

"We need to talk to her mother," Ada responded from where she was sitting across from Hecate. She seemed far too calm. She might as well have been doing needlepoint. Chaos. Hecate's entire life was about to be disrupted by one little girl and Ada looked like this was something they had to deal with every day. 

"Yes, of course. But Ms. Hubble likely does not understand the impending changes about to happen in young Miss Hubble's life. We need to be prepared to… guide… her through this time." Hecate pursed her lips. There was so much to be done now. How could Ada be so calm?

"And we shall," Ada said as she finally looked up at Hecate. "We shall. Everything will come out to rights in the end."

"You can't know that," Hecate snapped her teeth around the words. 

"Of course I can. You forget sometimes, you're the queen," Hecate scoffed. As if that was ever something she could forget. "You're the queen, and when you really want something, really, truely want it, you can make things go your way. That is what you forget." Ada's eyes twinkled. She stood and passed by Hecate, clasping her shoulder as she did so. "We'll get through this because we must." Ada turned toward the doors out of the queen's private apartment and walked out. Hecate stared at the spot where Ada had just been. Ada was right. They would get through it because they must.

***

Julie stared. She might be a nurse, but the shock overwhelmed her ability to read the results from a simple DNA test. Mildred was… Her Millie… She didn't want it to be true. Julie wondered how long it would be before she saw Dennis Hawthorne with another invitation to see the queen. Did she tell Millie? Did she wait for that invitation? Something told her there wasn't a protocol for this sort of thing. If there was, it was probably hundreds of years old by now and involved knights and a battlefield. Her daughter would not be fighting a war anytime soon if Julie had anything to say about it.

She wasn't ready to tell Millie. She wouldn't disrupt her daughter's life any earlier than she had to. 

That decided it. She would wait until she heard from the queen. She knew it wouldn't be long. The queen didn't seem to be the sort of person who waited when something could be done that instant.

***

Going to the palace was only somewhat less surreal the second time. Julie followed a staff member through long, vaulted hallways and various rooms until they came to the same sitting room as before. The room was small enough considering they were inside a palace. At least Julie thought it was. It was still covered in gold leaf and ornate moldings. She didn't want to know who the artists were for the various paintings around the room. She was afraid she would be too intimidated to even look at them. The regency sofa and coordinating chairs weren't comfortable, but she suspected they weren't supposed to be. Julie wondered what else the room was used for. Before she could even sit, the doors opened and the queen and Ada entered the room.

She sketched a curtsy before following the queen down into a seat. 

"We have a problem," Hecate said. There was no tea, no small talk, this time. It seemed like Hecate didn't have the patience for it. "But one we've had time to prepare for. She'll need to be told as soon as possible, and she'll have to move to the palace, of course."

"First, her names Mildred, not 'she' and what do you mean, 'move.' There's no reason for her to move anywhere," Julie said. If they thought they were taking her Millie away from her, they had another thing coming. If they tried, Julie would fight. Mother trumped aunt in any court, even if that aunt was the queen. "She's done just fine in our flat for all of her life. She can keep doing just fine there." Julie cheeked heated as she realized she was talking to the queen. Still, it didn't change anything. There was no reason for this news to completely upset Millie's life. She needed stability. They both needed stability. 

"She, Miss Hubble, will need to be here at least for the summer," The queen continued as if she hadn't heard Julie's objections. "There are further considerations now. There is no reason to think we can keep this a secret forever or even for the near future. She will need a proper security presence. Your neighborhood presents challenges that do not exist here. Additionally, the security presence there would be conspicuous," Hecate said it like it was the most normal thing in the world. Bodyguards for an 11-year-old? What sort of life was that? 

"And an 11-year-old girl moving into Buckingham Palace wouldn't be conspicuous?" Julie said indignantly. 

Hecate glared. "There are ways we could make it less so, particularly since it's just to be for the summer. She could move to Kensington or St. James. There are plenty enough people living there that one extra child wouldn't be noticed." It was clear that Hecate wasn't used to being questioned. 

"And what comes after the summer?" Julie said with trepidation. She had a feeling this was going to get a lot worse.

"Boarding school," Hecate said as if it were obvious.

" _Boarding school_. Not likely. You're not shipping _my_ daughter off to Sussex or something." Julie replied. They were already trying to take over her daughter's life. Well, they wouldn't. Not as long as she had a say in it. 

Hecate clenched her fists, her only outward sign of her displeasure. 

"I believe we might be getting a bit ahead of ourselves," Ada interjected trying to calm the situation. "Perhaps we should focus on how to tell Mildred and then we can move on to determining her plans for the summer."

Julie uncrossed her arms and tried to relax while Hecate loosened her fists. Ada was good at her job. 

"I imagine," Ada addressed Julie, "that you would like to be the one to inform Mildred."

"Yeah. Yes. I think it would be better coming from me, but perhaps doing it here might make her less likely to think it's some sort of joke. I certainly thought it was a joke at first." As if Hecate would put so much effort into anything other than the most serious of situations. It was preposterous. 

"That can certainly be arranged," Ada continued as the voice of reason. "I'm sure her majesty would like to be there as well."

Hecate's eyes widened fractionally. Not the original plan then. Julie didn't care. If the woman was Millie's aunt, better to get the introductions out of the way. "Yes, I believe that might be for the best."

"Good then. That's settled." Ada continued. "As for her summer, what were you currently planning."

Julie shrugged. "We normally go camping for a bit, that sort of thing, but mainly she's old enough to be left to her own devices as long as she has someone to check in with."

Hecate sniffed and muttered, "unacceptable." Ada shot her a look that revealed much of the true nature of their relationship. It was good to know that someone could rein in the queen. 

"I'm sure we can accommodate some time for you to go camping," Ada said before Hecate cut in. 

"Mildred will require substantial tutoring this summer. Once she's officially named a princess, she'll be in the public spotlight and therefore expected to carry herself like a member of the royal family."

Julie huffed. "And when will that be?" Julie wanted to know just how much longer she would get to have Millie to herself. She suspected that time was already over.

The two other women exchanged a look. There was some sort of disagreement between them then. Julie suspected she would prefer Ada's answer to the question. "We… haven't decided that yet." 

Julie sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Fine. She'll go to princess summer camp, but we are _not_ moving here. As far as the security, you'll just have to find a way to make it work."

"That is… acceptable." Hecate replied and stood. Julie hurried to do the same. It seemed the meeting was over.

***

Hecate made it back to her office before she gave into the desire to pinch the bridge of her nose. The day was barely half over and already she had a headache. She took a seat behind her desk and started flipping through the day's correspondence, but it was no use. Her focus kept drifting. Julie Hubble was a menace. As if Hecate and Ada were trying to do anything other than look out for the best interests of the girl.

The young Miss Hubble. What had her brother been thinking? This would have been so much easier to deal with if she had only known about the child sooner. Now, whenever it came out, they, no she, would be accused of keeping the child hidden away, as if she was a dirty secret. In another time that might have been true, but Hecate liked to think that despite the traditions that surrounded her, she lived in the 21st century. Of course, there would have been pressure for Æthelred to marry Julie Hubble, and likely some of it would have come from her, but if they hadn't wanted to marry, the family would have coped. The vicious treatment Miss Hubble would have to suffer at the hands of the paparazzi would have been long over by the time she was old enough to understand what was going on. Æthelred and Julie would have borne the brunt of it, not an 11-year-old child. 

Hecate sighed. Their family had too many secrets. First Hecate's aborted affair with a female classmate in university and now this, but Hecate was an adult. If the truth that she was a lesbian ever came out, rather than being something talked about in pubs and whispered about in the back hallways in Parliament, well, at least she was old enough to know to ignore it. Miss Hubble didn't have that experience. It would have been better if the connection had never been found. If none of this had ever happened. Æthelred would still be alive, Miss Hubble would get to keep her normal life, Hecate would have only the one secret to keep, and her brother, or one of his legitimate children, the children he would have if he ever decided to stop being a playboy, would inherit the crown. Now, she had to deal with teaching his bastard child how to be a queen one day while keeping the press from referring to her as a bastard, which was going to be impossible. The girl was already doomed. 

Hecate's headache only got worse. It didn't matter how many tutors Ada hired, the responsibility to teach Miss Hubble ultimately fell on her. Miss Hubble was now a part, a significant part, of her legacy. She wondered how long it would take the girl to start feeling the weight of the responsibility about to be thrust upon her. Having carried that weight all of her life, Hecate hoped it was no time soon.

Despite her occasional disdain for his actions, she missed her brother. She missed his charming smile that always got him out of trouble. She missed the way his hair ruffled in the wind and the smile on his face when he went riding. She missed the smell of his cologne and the feel of his sweaters under her hands when they shared an all too infrequent hug. She missed having someone to love, someone who she knew loved her just as fiercely. Who loved her because she was his sister, not because she was his queen. Hecate knew what was coming. She stood from her desk and rapidly made her way into her private quarters. It was only after she entered her bedroom that she let the tears she had been holding in for the weeks since Æthelred's death fall.


	3. Chapter 2

Mildred walked through the private areas of Buckingham Palace in awe. She never thought she'd see the inside of a palace before, not outside of some tour. She played with a fold in the skirt of her dress as she looked around. 

"Mum," she whispered, "what are we doing here?" She didn't know why she hadn't thought to question her mum immediately after Julie told her they were going to Buckingham Palace, but she guessed it was because she thought they were going to one of the galleries. This wasn't one of the galleries though, and her too tight shoes clacked against the floor, echoing in front of them. The lessons on how to curtsy and how to address the queen had just been a joke. They didn't seem like a joke anymore. Millie fidgeted again. 

"Shush," her mum whispered back. "You'll know soon enough." They were lead back into the sitting room. 

Mildred went to take a seat but Julie stopped her. "There's no point, love," she sighed. Almost before she had finished speaking, the second set of doors to the sitting room opened and the queen strode in with Ada on her heels. Millie gasped even as she curtsied. That was the _queen_. Not a joke. Totally not a joke. What the heck was going on? Her mum nudged her and she snapped her mouth closed. 

"Have you told her yet?" The queen, _the queen_ , asked her mum like they had talked before. Surely her mother would have mentioned talking to the queen before. They didn't keep those kinds of secrets, did they? Apparently, they did. 

"We just got here." Julie shifted on her feet. 

"Of course," the queen said. She gestured to the couch. "You may sit if you like." The queen remained standing but Julie took what had become her customary seat. 

"Millie, you'll want to sit down for this." Julie looked from Millie to the seat beside her. 

"Okay," Millie did as she was told and sat on her hands beside her mum. She resisted the urge to swing her feet. She didn't have to be told to stay on her best behavior.

"I guess there's no good way to start, but you know how I told you father was a plumber named Dave?" They had only had that conversation a few months before. 

"Yeah," Millie said cautiously. She'd never met Dave, but she still liked the idea of him being out there somewhere, that maybe they could find him someday. 

"We've just found out that isn't true." Millie reeled back. It wasn't Dave? If it wasn't Dave, who was it? 

"And you've brought me to Buckingham Palace to tell me that because…?" Millie asked apprehensively. There was no reason for her to be at the palace for this conversation. Not unless… Millie's eyes went wide as she put together the pieces. There was no way that could be right. 

Julie blinked at Mildred. "Because… Well, because…" Julie looked like she was searching for the right words and none would come. Millie didn't know the last time her mother had seemed so nervous. 

Hecate cleared her throat. Millie and her mother both looked up. Millie had nearly forgotten the queen was in the room. 

"Because your actual father is my brother. Was my brother." It sounded like the queen didn't want to admit it, like when Millie did something she knew she wasn't supposed to but she had to tell her mum about it anyway. 

"So I'm… My father was… My father was the prince? I'm a princess? Or a duchess or something" Millie's eyes somehow got even wider than they had been before. Was she really a princess? She didn't know exactly how titles worked. That meant… the intimidating woman in front of her was her aunt. She took a very deep breath. The queen was nothing like Aunt Mo. She could already tell.

"Right now, you have no title." Hecate bit out. After a look from Ada, she softened ever so slightly. "But yes, one day you will be a princess." 

Then her mum was rubbing her back. "Are you doing okay, love?" 

Mildred felt like she was going to be sick. "I'm a…," she didn't know what to call herself now that princess seemed to be off the table. She slumped back in her seat before she remembered herself and sat back up. "You're sure this isn't a joke?"

"Certainly not." the queen's eyes tightened. Mildred shrunk back. Ada gave the queen a look that Millie didn't understand. 

"It's okay, Millie, I thought the same thing at first." her mum said. She kept rubbing Millie's back. Millie took some comfort from it though not much. 

"So what now?" Millie asked. Her head was swimming. It was like the entire world had shifted on its axis and everything was different now. 

"Now, we have some things to talk about," her mum looked to the queen. 

"You'll be attending tutoring sessions here over the summer to make you more suitable to becoming a proper member of the royal family. After that, we haven't decided yet." The queen and her mom shared some kind of look, like they were arguing about something. They must be arguing about her future. She wondered if she got any say in it. If it were just her mum, she might. She doubted the queen would be so nice though. In fact, nothing about the queen looked nice. Her posture was too straight and her chin was tilted up at the wrong angle to be called nice. She was too… regal, almost like she was made of wax rather than flesh and bones. She looked like she wanted to sneer even if she wasn't. 

"Are you going to be my teacher then?" Mildred asked. She hoped that it wasn't the case. 

"Absolutely not," the queen said as if the very idea was preposterous. Millie tried to keep her sigh of relief contained. "We'll be hiring someone appropriate to tutor you." 

"Okay." Mildred didn't know what else to say. She might be able to talk her mum out of it, but there was no way she could talk the queen out of anything. Besides, it might be fun. She did like learning new things. 

"Good. We've only one more thing to discuss." The queen sounded very serious now, even more than she already had been. If Millie had to guess, she'd say the queen didn't smile much. Julie just looked confused. What else could there be? "You absolutely cannot tell anyone about this." 

"I won't," Mildred said. It seemed like the right answer and she tried to make herself look as serious as the queen. She didn't have anyone to tell anyway. 

The queen looked over to her mum with an intensity she hadn't had before. No, the queen had probably never smiled a day in her life. "You've nothing to worry about from me." Julie shifted under the queen's gaze. "I've already told you I don't want this getting out." 

"Fine." the queen's eyes shifted back to Millie, the intensity still there. Millie shrunk back. She never wanted to be the focus of that look ever again. It was like the queen was looking into her soul. "We're finished. Ada will take care of the arrangements and be in contact." With that, the queen swept from the room. 

Millie watched the queen go. It was only then that the reality started to set in and she started to get excited. She turned to her mum. "I'm really a princess then? Or at least a princess to be?"

"You really are." Julie bent over and kissed the top of Millie's head. 

"Does that mean I get to tell you what to do now?" A look of mischief sprang to her eyes. 

"Definitely not." Julie chuckled. "Because do you know something? Mums outrank princesses every time."

This time when Julie laughed, Millie joined her.

***

"Hello, this is Pippa Pentangle," Pippa answered her mobile without looking at the caller ID. Not many people had the number to her private line, so she'd want to talk to whoever was calling her.

"Miss Pentangle, please hold," the line immediately cut off. Pippa pulled the phone away from her ear to check to see exactly who was calling her, but the number wasn't a familiar one. She placed the phone back to her ear just as the line reconnected. 

"Hello?" Pippa said again. 

"Hello, Miss Pentangle, this is Ada Cackle," Ada's voice came clearly through the phone and Pippa cocked her head in question. Of course she knew who Ada Cackle was, anyone who spent so much of her working life in the minutia of royal etiquette knew who the queen's private secretary was. The real question was what Miss Cackle wanted with her. There were very few answers to that question. 

"Of course, Miss Cackle. What can I do for you?" As much as Pippa liked to joke around, for this she would need to be on her best behavior. 

"It's quite a delicate matter. Might we find a time for you to come to the palace?" Pippa's surprise only increased. She and Hecate hadn't parted on the best of terms, she could still remember their last fight, and now she was being invited to Buckingham Palace? It was an unlikely situation at best.

"Absolutely," The past didn't matter. She was being invited now and she would accept that invitation. She opened her calendar on her computer. It was fairly full, but she would cancel whatever she needed to in order to accommodate Miss Cackle's schedule.

***

Pippa nodded to the staff member who opened the door for her into the reception area of Ada's office. She'd had to cancel two appointments to be there, but whatever Ada needed her for would be worth it, even if it was just tea. Tea with the queen's private secretary would never be just about tea. Ada's secretary announced her, and before she could take a seat in the waiting area, Ada was opening her door.

"Miss Pentangle, thank you for coming on such short notice." Ada offered Pippa her hand as she ushered Pippa through the doors. 

"It's no problem." Pippa shook Ada's hand and took the seat on the couch to which Ada had gestured. 

"Before we begin, I'm going to need you to sign a non-disclosure agreement." Ada slid a folder across her side table before picking it up and passing it to Pippa. Pippa took the papers and started reading through them. This was getting interesting. The NDA seemed fairly straightforward. She would let her solicitor look it over later just to be sure she didn't do anything to violate it, and she signed it with a flourish. 

"Good. Now that that's taken care of, we can truly begin our meeting," Ada said then paused. She seemed to be collecting herself. "Again, this goes no further than this room." Pippa nodded. "Prince Æthelred had a daughter out of wedlock. Her name is Mildred and she's 11. We only found out about her after the prince's death and if you agree, we would like to hire you to be her tutor."

Pippa reeled back at all of the information that had just been dumped on her. "That's quite a lot to take in." Pippa sat in silence for a beat or two while everything sunk in. A child. The prince's child. A child who needed her help. A child who had no idea what she was getting into. It was hard to say no to that, to the need and to the challenge. She cocked her head to one side. "Just what exactly do you want me to tutor her in?"

"Everything she needs to know to survive as an 11-year-old princess," Ada said it as if it were no big deal. Ada had a way of doing that. 

"That's a great deal to learn in," Pippa paused for a moment, "how much time, exactly?"

"For now, just the summer," Ada said. 

Pippa sucked in a deep breath. "That's quite the task." It would be quite the task no matter how long they had, but never let it be said that Pippa wasn't ambitious. 

"Which is why we're asking you," Ada said with a twinkle in her eye. "If anyone can do it, particularly with a child, it's you." 

"I'm flattered, but might I inquire, does the queen know that you're asking me to do this?"

"She's delegated the task to me. Is there some reason she should take a special interest in your employment?"

"No, none at all." That told Pippa exactly how much of an impact she'd had on Hecate's life since they stopped being friends or whatever they had been at the end. She should have assumed as much. "I'd be happy to take on the challenge."

***

There was someone new sitting in one of the chairs when Julie walked into the sitting room. She knew the way now, though that didn't mean the staff members escorting her were any less vigilant. Perhaps someone else had tried to escape before and cavort through the palace. Julie smirked at the idea. It didn't sound too bad of a way to spend an afternoon. Maybe that would loosen up some of the stuffiness. Really, it would probably just get her arrested.

The other person in the room in the room didn't look particularly stuffy. She was wearing a bright pink dress, just on the right side of tasteful, and as she saw Julie, a smile leaped onto her face. "You must be Julie Hubble." Pippa stood and offered Julie her hand. "I'm Pippa Pentangle. I'm to be Mildred's tutor." 

Julie smiled back and took Pippa's hand. It was warm and smooth and somehow soothing. It was nothing like the queen's, which had seemed untouchable even as they were touching. There was something about Pippa that inspired trust. She already liked the woman and she thought Millie would as well. 

"It's great to meet you. You know, you're the first person I've met here who's bothered to call Millie by her first name. I appreciate it." Julie said it like she was confessing a secret. 

Pippa smiled gently. "I know all of the protocol can be a bit much. I'm happy to give you some pointers too if you'd like."

"That would be great, actually." Julie let out a small sigh of relief and smiled back. She could already tell that she and Pippa were going to get along. 

Before their conversation could continue, the doors opened and the queen swept into the room. She stopped in her tracks. 

"Pippa." The response was immediate. The queen's eyes widened for a millisecond before she schooled her features. The air filled with a tension Julie couldn't quite decipher, and Julie suddenly felt like she wasn't in the room any longer, like she shouldn't be in the room any longer. She wondered what you had to do to be on a first name basis with the Queen, though judging by the way both of the women were subtly bracing themselves, Julie wasn't sure she would like the answer. Still, she there was something about Pippa that she had immediately liked, and if Millie had to have a tutor, Pippa seemed like an excellent choice. 

"Your Majesty." Pippa dropped into a textbook perfect curtsy, just the right depth, just the right formality, but there was something off in the set of her shoulders. 

"It's… well," the queen paused and where Julie expected something like, "it's good to see you," because the two clearly knew each other, silence sucked the air from the room. 

"Yes," Pippa said, "quite." It was like the two of them were having a conversation in a completely different language. One made of glances and half-formed words and privy only to them. Julie wished she could disappear. Instead, she cleared her throat. She didn't want to witness whatever might happen next between the queen and Pippa and if she needed to jump between them to bring them back to the present, she would do it. Really, Ada should have been there to take care of the situation, but she wasn't, so it fell on Julie. 

Julie suddenly had two pairs of startled, yet shrewd, eyes focused on her "I believe we were here to discuss Mildred's summer?"

***

_1990_

 _"How could you?" Hecate's voice wavered as she pushed her way into Pippa's flat._ She still didn't understand. Pippa was supposed to be her friend, her best friend, maybe even more, but that was impossible. The pictures in the paper made it impossible. Hecate's entire life made it impossible. 

"How could I what?" Pippa asked in confusion. She turned to watch as Hecate strode into the living room. 

Hecate fumed. She balled her hands into fists, ignoring the rustle of paper that was the only sound in the room other than Hecate's ragged breathing. "How could you do this to me? You of all people." Tears pricked the corners of Hecate's eyes and she spun around to hide it from Pippa. 

"Hecate, stop and talk to me." Hecate felt a touch on her shoulder and she recoiled, but she finally turned around. 

"Stop? Why on earth should I stop doing anything? Though I suppose it's good that I stopped doing _something_ ," Hecate said as she tossed the tabloid down on the table between them. There, on the front page, a picture of Hecate and Pippa stared out at them. 

"Which of your friends did you get to take that picture? How much did you sell it for?" Hecate fumed. On the surface, the picture seemed innocent enough, but as soon as you looked closer, if you looked at it in the right kind of light, it was no longer innocent. If it had been a picture of Hecate with a boy, any boy really, there would already be rumors about the impending wedding. As it was, the talk was contained to innuendo that even this trash of a magazine wouldn't address directly. Pippa and Hecate were framed in an archway, lit by a nearby street light. Hecate's hand was cupping Pippa's elbow as Pippa's fingers ghosted over Hecate's cheek. Hecate gazed down at Pippa, their faces ever so close, with the softest look anyone had, or ever would, see on her face, and Pippa reflected that softness back. 

What the photograph didn't show was what happened next, as the shadows moved and the perfect lighting disappeared. It didn't show the way Pippa had lifted up oh so slightly, had pressed herself into Hecate's body, thighs and hips and breasts brushing together. It didn't show the way Hecate's throat caught, the way she breathed, "Pippa," as her hands fell to Pippa's waist, holding her in place as Hecate fought with herself to pull Pippa closer. It didn't show the tilt of Pippa's head or the matching tilt of Hecate's as they leaned in for what would inevitably be a kiss. It didn't show the way Hecate had veered her head to the side and cut off the kiss before it could exist. It didn't show the regret on Hecate's face that she couldn't be what Pippa wanted her to be. She couldn't be that brave. She was Her Royal Highness, Princess Hecate of York, the future monarch of a substantial number of people, and because of that, she couldn't be what Pippa wanted her to be. She had forgotten for a moment as they were blanketed by the mist, but she couldn't afford to forget. The picture taught her that. She couldn't forget again. 

"Hecate, I don't understand," Pippa pled. "I didn't pay anyone to do anything."

"Then how did they know? How did they know to be there at just the right moment?" Hecate said, her voice strong and clear. 

"I don't know, but it wasn't me," Pippa said emphatically.

Hecate laughed cruelly. "How disappointed you, the photographer, the both of you, must have been that there isn't a photo of us actually kissing for you to sell as a follow-up." 

"Hecate, I love you. I would never do something like that. I'd never want to hurt you."

Hecate stepped back. She wanted to believe Pippa, but she couldn't afford to. Pippa was the one who had convinced her to go on a walk that night. Pippa was the one who had stopped them in that exact place. Pippa was the one who had first leaned into her. That there would be someone there to catch that exact moment in that exact place without Pippa's intervention was too much for her to believe. What would her parents say when they saw the photos? She was already awaiting a summons home to explain it, to explain how it didn't look like what it was, that she and Pippa were just friends. Well, that they had been just friends. 

"Explain how this," Hecate pointed at the paper, "doesn't hurt me."

"Hecate, I told you…," tears started collecting at the corners of Pippa's eyes. 

"No," Hecate viciously cut her off. "I'm not listening to this anymore. And from now on, you'll address me as 'your highness,' though I would prefer if you did not address me at all." Hecate spun and stormed out of the room.

***

"Absolutely not," Hecate addressed the now arrived Ada. She'd sent Pippa from the room, shocking Julie by not kicking her out as well.

"She's the best there is," Ada replied. An unspoken question hung in the air between the three of them. What was wrong with Pippa?

"Then get the second best," Hecate snapped as she turned up her nose imperiously. 

"Hey now. If my Millie's going to have to do this, and the best person for the job has already said yes, then that's who should be teaching her." Julie already felt a kinship with Pippa, and unless she'd committed an actual crime, she's the one Julie wanted around Millie. 

"Your Majesty, you asked me to find the best. That's why I asked Miss Pentangle for her assistance. Might I know what your objection to her is?"Ada tried once again to be the voice of reason. Hecate didn't look receptive. 

"My reasons are my own. You'll find someone else."

"Not on your life," Julie said. She was unprepared for the indignation on the queen's face as Hecate looked at her. Julie supposed it wasn't every day that the queen had someone contradict her, but she would just have to get used to it. When it came to Millie, Julie would stand up to anyone, even the queen. 

"Miss Hubble, you simply do not understand the nuances--" 

"I understand plenty and I'd appreciate it if you didn't call me an idiot to my face. I understand just as much as Miss Cackle seems to, since you obviously don't want to explain your problem with Miss Pentangle to us." Julie turned to Ada. "Is she really the best person for the job? Did she pass all eight hundred of the background checks you put her through?"

"I wouldn't have asked anyone lesser, and she wouldn't be here if she hadn't passed the background checks." Ada tried to keep her voice as reasonable as possible. She didn't want to further upset the queen, but she answered the questions honestly. 

"Then she stays. Or Millie and I go back to our flat and you never see us again, queen or not." Julie crossed her arms over her chest. 

"Fine, if this is the hill on which you want to die, so be it." 

"For Millie, I'd die on all of the hills." Julie meant it. She would do anything for Millie, even argue with the queen. It probably wasn't the proper way to do it, but she didn't care. 

"Very well," Hecate said before pursing her lips and spinning away from Julie. As Hecate left the room, it distinctly, yet subtly, looked like the queen was pouting.

***

As soon as Hecate got back to her private quarters, she started pacing. She never expected Pippa to come back into her life and now she felt ambushed. Why hadn't Ada told her who Millie's new tutor was? Hadn't the picture come up in the background investigations? Surely Ada would have noticed that she and Pippa went to the same university at the same time. Hecate wanted to pull her hair out. She wanted to rage. She wanted to ban Pippa from the palace. She wanted to pull Pippa into her arms.

The visceral reaction startled her. Was that really what she still wanted after all of these years? It didn't matter. She couldn't forgive Pippa for what she had done, for setting her up, for selling her out. Had their friendship really meant less to Pippa than one photograph? Despite the evidence, Hecate still couldn't really believe it, but it was what it was and she certainly wasn't going to reveal to Ada and Julie how atrocious her judgment had been. 

Still, how was she supposed to trust Pippa? How was she supposed to trust Pippa with the care of an 11-year-old girl? She could see no way out of her dilemma. Tell Ada and Julie about her foolishness or trust Pippa once again. There was no choice to be made, yet she had to make one anyway. For now, Pippa would stay and hopefully Hecate wouldn't regret the decision.

***

Pippa looked up and stood as Ada opened the door to the antechamber to which she had been relegated by the queen.

"I assume the arrangement isn't going to work out," Pippa said as Ada closed the door behind herself. 

"On the contrary, we think you're the best person for the job," Ada smiled kindly as she said it. It took Pippa a minute to process what Ada had said. After seeing the way Hecate had reacted to her, Pippa never would have thought to remain in the queen's employ. Truthfully, she thought the queen had simply forgotten her entirely. Obviously, that wasn't true, but after their last encounter, why would Hecate allow her to stay? She knew Hecate couldn't possibly trust her again, never mind that she'd done nothing to earn that distrust. 

"That's splendid." Pippa smiled tightly at Ada but she was still confused. Ada didn't seem like she was going to clear up any of that confusion. Pippa would simply have to put it behind her for now. 

"If it's agreeable, you can start the day after tomorrow." Ada scrutinized Pippa as if looking for the flaw the queen had seen but she must not have seen anything as her expression turned kindly once again. 

"Perfect." She had already started putting a plan together for the lessons, and that would give her just enough time to finish it. Maybe before she started she could figure out just what was happening behind closed doors in the palace. Maybe that was asking too much.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Millie and Pippa settle into a routine while Hecate re-examines her relationship with both of them.
> 
> "You're doing wonderfully. The queen is just… a hard woman to understand." Hecate had always had high standards, particularly for herself. It was no surprise to Pippa that those standards extended to Mildred. They might be borne out of protectiveness, but that made them no easier to live up to. Mildred nodded but didn't look any more enthusiastic. "She's pretty intimidating, isn't she?" Pippa asked as if they were sharing a secret.
> 
> "Yeah."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my betas obviousinadequacies and delicatepoem. They did their best to make this chapter excellent and anything that isn't excellent is entirely my fault.
> 
> Yes, the rating went up, but not because of anything in this chapter.

"You'll want to make that just a bit lower," Pippa said as she walked into the room. Millie, still halfway in her curtsy, spun around and nearly fell over. "Miss Pentangle?" Millie questioned the new person in the room with her. 

"The very same." Pippa smiled as she approached. "And you must be Mildred."

"Yes," Millie said, then paused. "Yes ma'am," there was a question in her voice. 

"You don't have to call me 'ma'am.' Just the queen," Pippa gently corrected. Millie's cheeks flamed. 

"Right. Is there, well, is there a textbook or something?" Millie didn't really want a textbook, but maybe if everything were written down somewhere it would be easier to remember. 

"I'm afraid not. At least I've never heard of one." There were, of course, all sorts of books on etiquette, but none that Pippa thought appropriate for this situation. None of them were addressed to little girls who were going to be princesses and who might be queen one day. 

"Oh," Millie said, crestfallen. 

"Don't worry, we'll make sure you know everything you need to know by the end of the summer. Now, perhaps we should try that curtsy again." Pippa's kind smile returned as she stepped closer to Millie. "Like I said, you were doing very well, you just need to bend your knee a little more." 

Millie nodded and tried again. She managed a slightly lower curtsy this time before she started to wobble again. She was quick to stand back up. "Was that any better?"

"It was perfect," Pippa replied. "You just need a bit more practice with the balance and we'll have you curtsying like a pro."

***

"Your majesty, you wanted to see me?" Pippa stepped into Hecate's office and curtseyed. Hecate sat at her desk and didn't stand when Pippa entered the room. She also didn't offer her a seat. Pippa didn't take any liberties.

"Yes. I want to know what your plans for Miss Hubble are," Hecate said, thoroughly businesslike. 

"Of course, ma'am. If you'd like, I can email my detailed plans to Miss Cackle or send over a printout." Pippa would do whatever the queen asked of her. It felt weird being around Hecate again. It left her off balance. It would seem not even thirty years was long enough to change the way she felt drawn to the other woman, like her place was by Hecate's side. It was a silly notion, one she needed to banish before she had to interact with the queen any more. Perhaps she should try harder to think of her as 'the Queen' rather than 'Hecate.' Despite everything, Hecate was hers in a way the queen never would be. 

"Yes, do that. But I would like an overview now."

"Certainly. At the broadest level, I've broken things into two categories: how to behave in front of the general public and how to behave in more intimate environments." From there, Pippa went on to detail her plans for Mildred's summer education. Pippa tried not to shift uncomfortably under the queen's glare, and she was glaring. Despite her resolution, it was easier when she thought about talking to Hecate rather than addressing the queen, so she did. She imagined they were at school again, talking their way through Pippa's notes before a test. Hecate had always been good at that, at helping Pippa to focus. She'd had to learn to do it herself after everything that happened, but in the end, she'd been just as successful in her classes without Hecate's help. 

"Which brings me to something I hope you will assist me with, ma'am," Pippa ventured. 

"Me?" Hecate sounded more than skeptical. 

"Yes, I think having tea with you, say, once a week, would be beneficial to her education. You can see how she's improving and she can practice proper deportment." If it allowed the two of them to become more relaxed around each other, so much the better. The press would have a field day if they mistook discomfort with the situation for Hecate shunning her newly discovered niece. She didn't need to be a media strategist to understand that, and Hecate's notorious distaste for the press would only make it worse. She wasn't looking for loving hugs on a balcony, that would ring false, but they would need to find some sort of mutual affinity. Tea was a start. 

"Very well. Speak to Miss Cackle. I'm sure she can arrange something."

***

Millie glanced around the stables in awe. They looked too perfect to be real. Green fields of grass stretched out around her and white fences surrounded paddocks and riding rings. She and Pippa got out of the car that had brought them to the riding school and only Pippa's hand on her shoulder kept her from running toward the nearest horse. She grinned up at Pippa. "Really?"

Miss Pentangle laughed joyfully. "Really. Let me go find your instructor. Try not to get into any trouble while I'm gone." Miss Pentangle patted Mildred's shoulder and left her to her own devices as she headed toward the stables. Mildred couldn't stop herself anymore and she dashed toward the horses. Halfway there, another body crashed into her and she tumbled to the ground.

Mildred looked up in a daze. Another girl sat in the dirt next to her and looked just as stunned.

"Uhm, sorry," Mildred managed to say before the other girl had quite recovered. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine," The girl straightened her glasses and stood up before offering Mildred a hand up. "I'm Maud. Are you here for riding lessons too?"

"Uhm, I guess so," Mildred answered as she dusted herself off. Miss Pentangle had just said that she had a surprise for Mildred. Now that they were at the stables, it seemed obvious what the surprise was, but Mildred didn't want to make too many assumptions. "Have you been riding long?" 

"Only a few weeks. You'll get the hang of it pretty fast. We mainly just walk in a circle a lot." Maud pushed her glasses up her nose. 

"Cool," Mildred replied. Just then Miss Pentangle came walking back with another woman. The other woman had a riding helmet in her hands. Mildred and Maud turned to face them. 

The smile on Miss Pentangle's face only grew as they got closer. "Mildred, I'd like to introduce you to Miss Drill. She's to be your riding instructor," Miss Pentangle said. 

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Drill." 

"You as well, Mildred. Let's find you a horse, shall we?" Miss Drill smiled kindly. This was going to be so much fun.

***

Several days later, Hecate sat and waited. She tapped her nails one by one against the arm of her chair. Hecate did not wait. Queens did not wait. They were waited on. Hecate's frown deepened. Did Mildred have no respect for her time? Footsteps clattered on the other side of the sitting room door, and Mildred came barreling into the room. She slid to a stop as soon as she saw the queen and bent into something that only charitably resembled a curtsy.

"You are 12 minutes late." 

"I'm really sorry, your majesty." Mildred tentatively slid onto a chair across from Hecate. 

"Mmm," Hecate hummed. "I'm sure Miss Pentangle has impressed upon you the importance of being punctual." If she hadn't, she and Pippa were going to have a talk. Hecate sniffed her displeasure at both Mildred and Pippa. 

"Yes, ma'am," Mildred responded. "It's just, I was reading and I lost track--" Hecate raised an eyebrow and cut Mildred off. As if she really cared about Mildred's excuses. "It, uhm, it won't happen again." The question in Mildred's voice undercut her words. 

Hecate looked at Mildred skeptically. "See that it doesn't." At that, the tea was poured and the staff member disappeared into the background. "Now tell me what you have learned this week. That is the purpose of these teas, is it not?" 

"Well, uhm…" Hecate did her best not to roll her eyes at Mildred's wide-eyed stare. She only just succeeded as she waited for Mildred to come up with some sort of answer. "Oh! I learned how to hold a teacup. See?" Mildred reached for the cup, but in her enthusiasm, she spilled the tea over the edge and into the saucer. Hecate grimaced. 

"So you did," Hecate said dryly. Mildred fidgeted under Hecate's scrutiny as she took a sip of her tea. Hecate winced at the slurping sound, and Mildred blushed when Hecate said, "Some more practice is in order." 

"Yes, ma'am," Mildred responded and started swinging her legs. 

"I do suppose that's why we're here." Hecate knew both Ada and Pippa would be looking at her reproachfully and telling her that she at least needed to try to help Mildred. "It would help if you would be still." Hecate admonished. 

Mildred immediately stopped swinging her legs. "I'm sorry." She tried to cross her legs at the ankles but looked even more awkward. Hecate sighed. She, herself, hadn't touched her tea. 

"Like this," Hecate said as she picked up her cup and made sure Mildred could see. Mildred picked her own cup up in the same way, in the way that Pippa had taught her as well. The cup trembled and shook as Mildred tried to move her fingers into the correct position. One shift too many and the cup slipped from her fingers. Hecate caught it as it tumbled from Mildred's hand, but her own hand got soaked in lukewarm tea. 

Mildred gaped in shock and didn't move. Hecate was grateful for that at least. There was no telling just how much worse Mildred could make the situation. Hecate put both of the cups down and reached for the cloth a staff member held out for her. She gingerly took it and started wiping her hand. "I believe we're done for the day," Hecate said distastefully. She stood and exited the room before Mildred even registered that she moved.

***

"I have a surprise for you," Miss Pentangle said as she entered the room. Millie was already seated on the sofa, but she stood when Miss Pentangle walked in.

"Really? Cool," Millie said. 

"Well, don't get too excited. I suspect you aren't going to like them much." Miss Pentangle held out a shoe box to Millie. Mille grinned anyway as she took the box and then shook it. It thumped and crinkled. Unable to tell what it was, Millie opened the box and found a pair of black, low heeled mary janes. She wrinkled her nose. 

"You bought me shoes?" She didn't want to sound ungrateful, but shoes? 

"You'll have to get used to them, I'm afraid." Miss Pentangle smiled sympathetically. "Go on. Make sure they fit." 

Millie sighed as she plopped down on the sofa. "What's wrong with my trainers?"

"Oh, nothing specific, and you're welcome to wear them most of the time, but think of these like riding boots. They're equipment for a specific activity, mainly looking appropriate in public. You're going to have to get used to wearing skirts too." 

Mille made a face. "I don't think I like this part of my lessons," she said as she pulled off her trainers and stepped into the new shoes. 

"It's unfortunate but necessary," Miss Pentangle responded. She held a hand out for Millie to take and balance against as she stood. "Once you get used to the shoes, we'll start with dancing lessons, but I don't want you to roll your ankle because you haven't gotten your balance yet. For now, just get used to walking in them."

Sometimes Millie forgot that Miss Pentangle was actually her teacher and not just her friend. The shoes, and apparently the skirts, reminded her that wasn't true. Pouting wouldn't get her out of this. Better to just get on with it then. Millie carefully made a circuit of the room. "I'm pretty sure they fit," she said. 

"Excellent," Miss Pentangle responded as she clapped her hands together once in delight. "Now, I think we'll see how those reading assignments I gave you are going." Millie sighed again and took her place on the sofa.

***

"Miss Pentangle," Hecate said and Pippa startled. They weren't scheduled to have a meeting. Pippa had merely been walking through the palace when Hecate suddenly appeared at the other end of the long hallway.

"Your majesty," Pippa responded as she curtsied. Hecate walked down the hallway and stopped only a few feet away. 

"Miss Cackle forwarded me your email regarding Mildred's lessons, but I admit, I haven't had time to read it. Still, I trust things are progressing well?"

"As well as can be expected after only two weeks. And I apologize for the incidents at your first tea. Mildred won't be late again." 

"I should hope not," Hecate said. She sniffed and shifted uncomfortably. It was a rare break in her perfectly controlled facade. Pippa wondered at the cause. It couldn't just be talking to her, could it? Or was it simply about the disaster that left Hecate covered in tea? She had to admit, she'd had a bit of a chuckle at that when Mildred told her about it. Hecate was so rarely undignified. She certainly had her dignity about her today. 

"Is there anything else I can do for you, ma'am?" Pippa asked. Hecate seemed far less hostile than she had at their last meeting, but Pippa didn't want to press her luck. Sometimes it was better to take your leave early lest you offend your host by overstaying your welcome. 

"No. That's all," Hecate answered. "Though I assume you are emailing Miss Cackle reports on Miss Hubble's progress."

"I am," Pippa responded. Mildred really was doing quite well by Pippa's estimation, though she had a feeling that Hecate would not be so generous in her praise. 

Hecate nodded. "I shall attempt to find time to read them." She was back to her perfectly correct posture, any sign of her discomfort erased.

"Thank you, ma'am," Pippa said. Hecate nodded once again and went back the way she came, disappearing from the hall moments later. 

Pippa sighed in relief. She had gotten through an encounter with Hecate without Hecate glaring at her. She considered that a win.

***

Millie scrambled out of the car as soon as it came to a stop beside the stables. Riding was totally the best part of her lessons and she kept meaning to ask her mum if she could keep going to the lessons once she went back to school, but the timing had never been right. She ran to the cross ties where her unsaddled horse pawed at the ground with one foot in impatience. Millie reached out and rubbed his nose and let him lip at her hand. She didn't have any treats for him, treats were for after the lesson, but she wouldn't stop him from looking.

Maud came in seconds later. She walked at a more subdued pace but an excited smile stretched across her face. Another girl came bouncing in behind Maud. She walked right up to them. "Hi, I'm Enid," she said 

"Millie and this is Maud," Millie replied. "Are you new?" Millie rolled her eyes at herself for asking the question. Of course, Enid was new or they would have met before. 

"Nah." Enid smiled. "I normally come on Tuesdays, but my parents' schedule changed so now it's easier for me for me to come on Wednesdays." She shrugged. "I'm actually really happy I had to switch. There's this other girl, Ethel, who comes on Tuesdays who thinks she already knows everything. It's super annoying." 

"Well, on Wednesdays it's just me and Maud and Felicity and none of us knows anything," Millie said.

"It's true," Maud added as she pushed up her glasses.

"Oh good. You girls have already met," Miss Drill said as she walked into the stables. "Now, who's ready to practice saddling their horses?" 

Millie didn't know why there was a mischievous glint in Enid's eye, but she can already tell that whatever the other girl was thinking, it was going to be awesome.

***

Hecate looked up as an indistinct shout from somewhere on the other side of her window caught her attention. She was stuck in her office going over her personal finances, always a chore she hated, when the sound caught her attention. It was nothing to put her laptop to the side and go to the window to indulge her curiosity. Her eyes widened when she saw Mildred out on the private lawn kicking around a football with her mother and Pippa. She hadn't realized that Ms. Hubble was visiting the palace that day. She wasn't aware that Ms. Hubble visited the palace at all. It didn't seem like the first time the three of them had kicked around a football though, so Ms. Hubble must be a more regular fixture than she thought.

Mildred must have said something funny because suddenly Pippa and Julie burst out laughing. Hecate could hear the muted sound in her office. She watched as Julie threw her arm around Pippa's shoulders as they continued to laugh. Mildred smiled brightly in a way Hecate had never seen before. The entire scene caused her gut to tighten. The faintest hint of nausea crawled up her throat. She didn't like the way Julie's arm rested around Pippa's shoulders, too familiar by half. She wanted… it didn't matter what she wanted. She could never have it. Any chance of that sort of relationship with Pippa was firmly in the past. Still, part of her ached. What if… what if Pippa really hadn't had anything to do with the photo? Hecate couldn't face the answer to that question. She could do nothing about it now. 

Hecate turned away from the window and went back to her accounting.

***

"What's the matter?" Pippa asked as she walked into the sitting room. It had become her and Mildred's usual meeting place and there were small indications of that throughout the room: a notebook sitting on a side table, a pair of low heeled shoes placed by the sofa. Everything would be cleaned up by that night, but the staff had learned not to bother straightening up during the day. They simply did their best to direct Hecate away from the room. Mildred sat on the sofa, her head down and her shoulders bent in.

"I can't seem to do anything right," Mildred said, only looking up a little bit. She had just come from her weekly tea with Hecate and clearly, it hadn't gone well, though at least no one ended up covered in tea this time. Pippa sat on the sofa next to Mildred and put a hand on her back. Now wasn't the time to remind Mildred of her posture. 

"Now why do you say that?" Pippa rubbed Mildred's back gently, trying to soothe the girl out of her distressed state. It was the third week in a row that Pippa's teas hadn't gone well. Maybe she needed to talk to Hecate about it. Mildred and Hecate really did need to learn how to get along. 

Mildred swung her legs back and forth, her trainers squeaking against the ground. She sighed heavily, the way only a young girl with the supposed weight of the world on her shoulders could. "I slouched. And my legs weren't right. And I can't hold a teacup the right way without it wobbling. And I'm sure I did a bunch of other things wrong too. The queen just glared at me the entire time." 

Pippa did her best not to purse her lips. Her complaint wasn't with Mildred but with Hecate. Surely she could cut the girl a bit of slack. They definitely needed to have a talk. 

"Did you try your best?" Pippa asked. She only had to wait for a second for Mildred's nod. "Then that's all anyone can ask of you." She rubbed Mildred's back for a moment.

"I just… I just wish I could be better." Mildred slumped back into the sofa. 

"You're doing wonderfully. The queen is just… a hard woman to understand." Hecate had always had high standards, particularly for herself. It was no surprise to Pippa that those standards extended to Mildred. They might be borne out of protectiveness, but that made them no easier to live up to. Mildred nodded but didn't look any more enthusiastic. "She's pretty intimidating, isn't she?" Pippa asked as if they were sharing a secret. 

"Yeah," Mildred responded. 

"Maybe it would help if you tried to stop thinking of her as 'the queen' and started trying to think of her as just your aunt." It certainly couldn't hurt. 

"Is that what you do? Think of her as someone else?" Mildred asked innocently. "Is that why you don't get intimidated when she shows up?"

"That's a very complicated question to answer." Despite her attempts to change, she still thought of the queen as just Hecate, and when she felt particularly nostalgic, she thought of her as the girl she had been in love with. Lately, when she was being particularly truthful or particularly cruel, maybe even as the woman she wanted again but couldn't have. None of those were appropriate things to tell Mildred. "But I've known the queen for a very long time, so I've had time to get used to her. You will too."

"If you say so." 

"I do," Pippa smiled gently. "Now, why don't we go to the kitchens and get a donut?"

***

"I was unaware that your tutoring sessions brought you to Windsor, particularly on a Saturday," Hecate said as she walked into the mudroom where Pippa was waiting on Mildred. Pippa was dressed in riding clothes: breeches and a jacket, which was currently unbuttoned. Half chaps covered her calves and a helmet rested under one arm. She was leaning against a wall looking utterly relaxed. It was inconvenient to stand up straight and curtsy, but Pippa managed to make it look elegant anyway.

"Your majesty, Mildred has started riding lessons. We're taking a short ride around the grounds to help her practice."

"Riding lessons," Hecate raised her eyebrows skeptically. "Since when is that included in proper royal etiquette?"

"I was told to do what I thought was necessary to prepare her and it's summer. She needs to be outside or she's going to go stir crazy. Nevermind that the prince would have had her on a horse as soon as she could sit up straight. And I dare say you would have been right there along with him." Pippa thought better of her phrasing as soon as she said it. Would Hecate take offense at her presumption? It seemed likely. 

"That may be true, but is it really the best use of her time now?" Hecate asked. She stood rigidly in the doorway and Pippa wondered if she had come down to the mudroom just to question her. Probably. 

"She can't sit inside and learn to make small talk all day. Besides, it's good for her posture." Mildred had no choice but to sit up straight on a horse. Pippa hoped it would transfer over to her daily life. It might also teach her a bit of patience. 

"It's dangerous," Hecate objected. Pippa had to fight not to roll her eyes. 

"I'm certain you were on a horse every chance you could get when you were 11." Hecate had told her as much when they were in university together. As much as Æthelred had been known as the horseman, Pippa thought Hecate loved it more. Pippa wondered how much she got out now, if she could coax Hecate along with them that morning. 

"That's different. I knew what I was doing." Hecate sniffed. 

"And she's learning. You know, if you wanted to come riding with us, you would always be welcome." There. All Pippa could do was extend the invitation. Accepting it was up to Hecate. 

Hecate tensed. 

"I'm sure it wouldn't take you long to change, Miss 'I'm going to try out for the Olympic riding team.'" Pippa couldn't help but tease Hecate a little. She did it instinctively. 

"You know I was never good enough for that," Hecate tried to deflect, the beginnings of a blush on her cheeks. 

"Correction, you never had enough time to attend all of the necessary competitions for that, so instead you dragged me along with you every time you got antsy for the feel of a horse between your legs," Pippa said lightly. She didn't need Hecate to know just how predictable she had become during those days. They went out at least once every three weeks, more so if Hecate was stressed about an exam or something similar. Sometimes she'd just go with Hecate to the stables to keep her company while she groomed her horse, convinced the animal was the most spoiled horse in all of Britain with the way Hecate fed him apples and peppermints. Generally quiet and peaceful, Pippa had almost enjoyed those nights more than the days they went riding. That Hecate would share something so personal with her… It made Pippa feel close to Hecate in a way that nothing else did. 

"I don't recall you complaining," Hecate said dryly and Pippa couldn't disagree. 

"No, but Professor Spalding certainly did. Loudly. Remember that night I didn't have time to do the reading for his class because you had me out all afternoon and into the evening? We were gone for hours and I was so tired afterward, all I could do was fall into bed. It was lucky I could walk the next day." It was only after she said it that Pippa realized the potential innuendo behind her words, or even that she had directly brought up the past for the first time in their renewed relationship. Hecate had a small smile on her face though. 

"Yes," Hecate cleared her throat. "Well… About that ride. I might be amenable."

Pippa blinked. She couldn't believe she was getting Hecate to play hooky in the middle of her day. She barely managed to keep the shock from her face.

"Excellent. Mildred should be here soon. You should go change, and I'll let the groom know that you'll be accompanying us." It really was too familiar of Pippa, but Hecate simply had a slightly stunned look on her face. There were no objections. 

"I suppose I'll see you soon." Hecate blinked again as she took a step back before turning and heading back to her private rooms.

***

Hecate didn't know what possessed her to change her schedule at the last minute and put on her riding clothes to wander who knows where with Pippa and Mildred, but she did it anyway. Maybe it was talking to Pippa, being reminded of the good times. She realized she should be more skeptical, but she didn't feel like it. She was going riding on a pleasant summer morning and she was in good mood.

***

Hecate discretely watched Mildred attempt to saddle her horse, and though she knew an 11-year-old wouldn't be able to accomplish it on her own, she was pleased with the enthusiasm with which she attempted to sling the saddle over the horse's back, even if she didn't quite manage it. Hecate sat her own saddle down nearby and went to help, taking Mildred's saddle from her hands and sitting it properly on the horse's back. She could have had the grooms prepare all of their horses, but Mildred needed to learn and Hecate enjoyed the ritual. It helped settle her mind.

"A good effort," she praised absently. "Hand me the girth." Mildred quickly obeyed and in moments Hecate had the saddle secured and in the proper position. She missed the way Mildred looked up at her in surprise. She also missed the way Pippa watched them. 

"Have you learned how to put a bridle on yet?" Hecate asked as she pulled the bridle down from its hook. 

"I always get the straps tangled up," Mildred admitted. Hecate handed her the bridle anyway as she unfastened the horse's halter. 

"You have to straighten everything out before you start. Put the reins over his head," Hecate waited for Mildred to do so, then deftly rearranged the bridle in Mildred's hand to minimize her chances of getting the straps tangled, "and just run everything up his forehead while you place the bit in his mouth." 

With Hecate's hands gently guiding her own, Mildred successfully got the bridle on the gelding. She looked up at Hecate in excitement. "I did it!" She bounced up and down. Hecate nodded at the buckles that still needed to be tightened. 

"So you did." The very corners of Hecate's mouth turned up in something almost resembling a smile as Mildred fastened everything. Hecate double-checked her work and nodded in approval. She turned to saddle her own horse only to find its reins in Pippa's hands and its saddle on its back. 

"I thought I'd do you a favor," Pippa said. 

"Thank you," Hecate replied as she ducked her head slightly to hide the beginnings of a blush as she took the mare's reins. 

"I thought we'd go around the shorter part of the south loop." It was mostly flat and the perfect length to give Mildred a challenge but not overtax her. 

"That is acceptable." If she'd had her way, Hecate would have picked something that would have kept her out for at least an additional hour, but Mildred wouldn't be able to handle that ride yet. Maybe by the next summer though. When had she started thinking of her relationship with Mildred past the next few months? She didn't know, but clearly, she had. It was something to examine further at another time. 

Hecate cleared her throat as she led them out of the stables to the mounting blocks. She surrendered her horse to one of the grooms where she could hold Mildred's horse herself. It took no time for her to adjust Mildred's stirrups and then she nodded at the girl to mount up. Mildred's form was… not terrible. Her riding instructor must at least be competent. Hecate expected no less from Ada and Pippa in hiring someone to look after any part of Mildred's education. The minute smile returned to Hecate's lips.

***

Pippa grinned as she heard Hecate and Mildred riding behind her. The trail wound out in front of her and she only had to pay the most cursory attention to it. The horse already knew his way. She glanced over her shoulder and met Hecate's eyes. The queen looked more relaxed than Pippa had seen her since university, not that Pippa had been privy to her moods recently. She wondered if it would hold past the length of the ride. She hoped it would.

"Push just a bit more with your legs," Hecate said to Mildred, but Pippa found herself following Hecate's instruction automatically. Her horse sped up just a bit, no longer dragging his feet. She hadn't realized just how lazy she had gotten. Another look back showed Hecate smirking at her. Maybe Hecate's comment hadn't been intended for Mildred after all. Pippa laughed. 

"Have you learned how to trot yet?" Hecate asked, definitely addressing Mildred that time. 

"Not yet. Miss Drill said we'd start next lesson." Mildred sounded relaxed as well. Maybe not having to look at Hecate helped. 

"Mmm," Hecate responded in a way that Pippa couldn't really decipher, but Pippa had a feeling that if they hadn't been trying to keep the queen's involvement in Mildred's life a secret, Hecate would be having a conversation with Dimity about Mildred's lessons. Pippa wondered then if she had perhaps created future problems for the riding instructor. She hoped not. Still, this afternoon had been successful beyond her wildest dreams. She couldn't let them out of the weekly teas, she still thought them an important part of Mildred's education, but maybe she should add a weekly ride to Hecate and Mildred's schedule. Maybe Pippa could even join them.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A reputation?" Hecate asked. Her curiosity piqued, she found she wanted the girl to go on. Just what were people saying about her?
> 
> "Just that you're aloof and not particularly friendly. I'm Pippa, by the way." Pippa smiled. Hecate cringed at the neon pink of Pippa's shirt. It might have been in fashion, but Hecate didn't understand the appeal of such loud colors. It didn't hurt that her black dresses proved so dull the press didn't want to report on her fashion choices or her in general. 
> 
> "And 'not particularly friendly' is enough to keep them away?" Hecate asked. If so, she wasn't impressed by their fortitude. 
> 
> "Alright, perhaps it's more 'stuck-up snob' and 'anti-social' and I think Ursula may have just straight up called you a bitch, but…" Pippa shrugged. "None of them are likely to come over here, at any rate, and they'll get bored of waiting for me in a moment."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter ever. Or at least the longest single chapter I've ever written.

Pippa sighed as she sank into the chair. Julie had just picked Mildred up, and as much as she enjoyed teaching the girl, it was still exhausting. She needed to get up and head home, but first, she needed to sit for a few minutes. She slumped back just as the door to the study opened behind her. Assuming it was one of the staff members coming in to straighten up, she didn't bother to turn. 

"I'll be out of your way in a minute," she said. She heard a polite cough behind her and twisted to see who it was. Hecate. Oh. She tried to be as dignified as she could be as she stood, but she felt relief when Hecate waved away the traditional curtsy. "I'm sorry, your majesty. I didn't realize it was you." 

"I suppose I shouldn't have been lurking," Hecate allowed.

"Is there something I can do for you, ma'am?" Pippa asked. There certainly had to be a reason Hecate had sought her out. She simply hoped that whatever Hecate needed wouldn't be too taxing. 

"Yes, I… Would you…" Hecate shifted uncomfortably, "would you care to join me for dinner?"

Pippa tried not to show her shock. She didn't in a million years think that Hecate would invite her to share a private meal ever again. 

"It's just," Hecate continued, "I'd like to know how Miss Hubble is doing and I can't ever seem to find the time during the day."

Oh. Of course that was it. Hecate wanted an update. Pippa could certainly provide one.

"Of course, ma'am. I would be happy to." Pippa mustered up the energy for a smile and hoped Hecate didn't realize just how tired she actually was. Still, she couldn't stop herself from remembering the first time she and Hecate had shared a meal.

***

_1988_

 _"Hello," the random girl said as she sat on the ground next to Hecate._ It was the third week of classes and Hecate had already fended off too many people who had decided to be her friend simply because of her parentage. She let herself feel her exhaustion at the tediousness before she sucked in a breath to do that same with this new person. "Please don't send me away yet. It's just, I'm trying to avoid those girls over there," the girl nodded her head in the direction of a small group of girls who were trying to covertly watch them, "and you've developed a bit of a reputation over the last few weeks. So if you don't mind, could we just sit here for a bit? You don't even have to talk to me. You can keep reading, well, whatever you're reading and I'll just sit here next to you." 

Hecate looked at the girl agog. No one had managed to say that much to her at one time without tripping over their words or descending into obsequiousness since university had started. In fact, if had been years since someone had spoken to her like a real human being, even if the girl seemed to be using her to her own ends. At least those ends didn't involve trying to meet her father. 

"A reputation?" Hecate asked. Her curiosity piqued, she found she wanted the girl to go on. Just what were people saying about her?

"Just that you're aloof and not particularly friendly. I'm Pippa, by the way." Pippa smiled. Hecate cringed at the neon pink of Pippa's shirt. It might have been in fashion, but Hecate didn't understand the appeal of such loud colors. It didn't hurt that her black dresses proved so dull the press didn't want to report on her fashion choices or her in general. 

"And 'not particularly friendly' is enough to keep them away?" Hecate asked. If so, she wasn't impressed by their fortitude. 

"Alright, perhaps it's more 'stuck-up snob' and 'anti-social' and I think Ursula may have just straight up called you a bitch, but…" Pippa shrugged. "None of them are likely to come over here, at any rate, and they'll get bored of waiting for me in a moment." She looked back over to where the group of girls were huddled together. 

"Won't sitting with me only make you more popular? Or at least an object of fascination?" Hecate knew how it worked. 

"Not with them, it won't," Pippa said firmly. "And they're the ones who are annoying me." 

"Ah." Hecate didn't know what to say to that. She glanced down at her book, but it no longer held her interest. "I suppose I'm glad to be of service." She had a feeling this wasn't what her father had in mind when he said she should be of service to the realm, but it didn't hurt to start small. 

Pippa's smile grew bigger. "It looks like they've decided to give up on me," Pippa said. She got up and dusted herself off. "Thanks, Hecate. I'll see you around." Pippa waved at her and disappeared into the crowd. _Hecate_. Pippa had used her first name just like she was any other student. Hecate marveled. Just who was this Pippa anyway?

***

_Suddenly, it seemed like Pippa was everywhere._ The various shades of pink, from pastel to that damnable neon, made her impossible to miss as she sat in Hecate's classes or walked around the city. Seeing Pippa everywhere had to be a coincidence, but the wink Pippa had thrown her way across the dining hall when she had caught Hecate looking had definitely been real. Still, the other woman didn't approach her. Hecate thought about taking the initiative and going over to Pippa, but something always stopped her. The looks they shared made her tense though. Did Pippa want something of her? Or did she just want something of 'the princess'? Hecate didn't know and she didn't know how to find out.

Finally, Hecate couldn't stand the glances and winks anymore. She had to know what Pippa meant by them. She lurked outside of the dining hall and appeared just as Pippa walked by. Maybe she would know what to say by the time Pippa showed up.

"Oh, Hecate, I didn't see you there." Pippa startled, hand going to her chest in shock. Rather than answer her, Hecate grabbed Pippa's wrist and pulled her into a nearby alcove. Pippa looked around, perplexed. 

Still, Hecate didn't break the silence. She didn't know how. She still hadn't come up with anything to say. 

"Is everything alright?" Pippa asked. "If you need the notes from Fisher's class, I'm happy to share them." Hecate had been absent for their last class, summoned to the palace for yet another lecture from her father about something that turned out to be inconsequential to everyone but him. 

"Yes," Hecate swallowed nervously. "That would be… helpful. Thank you." That wasn't what Hecate wanted to talk about at all. It didn't answer any of her questions. What was she doing? Truthfully, Hecate still didn't know. Pippa confounded her. 

"I'll bring them by at dinner." Pippa smiled and it felt like sunshine. Wasn't that the most ridiculous thought? What would her father say if he knew she was prone to such flights of fancy? Nothing good. 

"I…" Hecate nodded awkwardly. Pippa just shook her head a little as she kept smiling and slipped out of the alcove. There went Hecate's chance. Now, she would never find out what Pippa wanted from her.

***

_Pippa pulled out the seat next to Hecate's and sat_. She didn't have any food with her, but she did have her notes.

"Aren't you eating?" Hecate asked. Hecate didn't know Pippa well enough to know her eating habits after all. Though from her previous observations, Pippa rarely skipped meals. 

"I thought I'd go out tonight. I thought you might come with me." Pippa looked at Hecate hopefully.

"Out? With you? Me?" Hecate didn't know why Pippa would ask her of all people. From what she could tell, Pippa had plenty of other friends, none of whom were 'anti-social snobs'. 

"Yes, with you. In fact, I think I'm going to keep these notes hostage until you say yes." Pippa smiled mischievously. 

"They're your notes. I don't see how you could keep them hostage." She knew Pippa was joking, but she didn't know how best to respond, so she fell back on the most reasonable thing she could think of rather than attempting to continue the joke and failing as she knew she would. If Pippa didn't want to give her the notes, that was fine. She would merely have to speak to the instructor.

"Yes, well, you get the idea. Besides, it saves you from having to talk to anyone else in the class." Pippa's too charming smile returned.

"What makes you think I need saving?" Hecate responded dryly. Still, that smile made her want to say yes. Once again, Hecate wondered just what Pippa wanted with her.

Pippa rolled her eyes. "Just come out to dinner with me," she implored.

Hecate sighed. "Very well." Maybe going out with Pippa wouldn't be that bad. Maybe she could find out why Pippa suddenly seemed to be stalking her. 

"Excellent," Pippa said as she bounced up out of her seat and held a hand out to Hecate. Hecate took it gingerly and allowed Pippa to help her up. Pippa's skin felt smooth and warm, and Hecate wondered what Pippa thought of her own touch. She had a few small calluses from where she held her horse's reins without wearing gloves. Her father thought them unbecoming, but she did nothing to smooth them over, her own tiny act of rebellion. Did Pippa think them a problem as well? Hecate pursed her lips at herself. Be reasonable, Hecate. Pippa probably didn't even notice them. 

"So," Hecate awkwardly cleared her throat, "where are we going?" 

"I thought we'd just go down to the White Stag unless you want to go somewhere else?" The casual restaurant was just down the way, but for some reason wasn't particularly popular with the university crowd. Hecate wondered why Pippa liked it or if Pippa picked it out of deference to Hecate. Hecate hadn't been, but then she hadn't actually been to any of the restaurants in town. 

"No, the White Stag is perfectly acceptable." Only having the vaguest idea of where she was going, Hecate followed Pippa down the street until they got to the entrance. Pippa held the door open for Hecate, but Hecate got the feeling she would have done the same for any of her companions had she been at the restaurant with her friends. It was only after her glass of wine was placed in front of her that she realized she had barely said two words to Pippa since they had started their walk. Now, she didn't know what to say. The awkwardness continued while they ordered their food. 

"So, how are you finding Fisher's class so far?" Pippa asked, and Hecate deflated in the relief of knowing that Pippa, at least, could make conversation even if Hecate herself was hopeless. 

"He's brilliant," Hecate said. It was, Hecate thought, the most important thing about the man. 

"And hilarious. Did you catch that George Michael reference he made the other day?" Hecate allowed herself a small smile. She didn't listen to much pop music, but George Michael practically saturated the very air around the university, and even she had gotten the joke. 

"The one about having faith?" Hecate asked, just to be sure they were thinking of the same thing. 

"Yes," Pippa said as she beamed at Hecate. "Though I have to admit, I'm utterly lost at least a quarter of the time in our lectures." 

"I… understand that feeling." She shouldn't have admitted that. She kicked herself. Her father wouldn't be pleased that she had admitted to any weakness, but something about the way Pippa's smile widened made it okay.

"Well, you'd never know it." Pippa took a sip of her wine. "Sometimes it seems like the two of you just exist on your own private wavelength."

Hecate blushed. "I've already studied some of the material," she admitted. "But, if you'd like, I mean… If you think it would be helpful, I'd be happy to revise with you." There. Finally she'd managed to be friendly. Being around Pippa felt impossible. It left her flat-footed and disoriented, but it still felt easier than talking to any of the other people in her lectures. And the way Pippa lit up at her offer, the inevitable discomfort would be worth it. 

"That would be brilliant," Pippa said. "Maybe Monday night?" 

"That would be fine." Hecate nodded her acceptance. It wasn't like her social calendar was particularly full. 

"Excellent," Pippa said as their food arrived. "I can't wait."

***

_Hecate let herself into her flat that night, Pippa's notes under one arm and a smile on her face_. She hadn't known a dinner could be so pleasant. No one had recognized her, or if they had, no one had approached her, and for that, she was thankful. Now, she had nothing pressing to do, though her self-imposed bedtime rapidly approached. She could look over Pippa's notes, but that held little appeal. The next day was Saturday. She could do it then. For now, she just wanted to find her favorite book and curl up on her sofa. Maybe she would go riding the next day.

***

"Shhh…" Millie whispered to her friends as Maud and Enid crept up behind her. She couldn't believe Miss Pentangle and Miss Cackle had let her invite them over. They were supposed to be having tea, but Miss Pentangle had been called from the room, and when it didn't seem like she would return right away, the three girls had gotten bored.

"It's just down this way," Mildred said. She waved the other girls forward as she peered around a corner and saw the doorway she wanted. "There."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Maud asked as she looked around nervously. "Couldn't they, like, arrest us or something if we get caught?"

"They're not going to arrest a bunch of kids," Enid answered as she followed Millie down the hallway. 

"Besides, Miss Pentangle showed me this room once, so it can't be a secret or anything." Millie tested the door handle. Her face lit up when it clicked. She grinned and pushed the door open. "C'mon," she said as she slipped inside. Enid quickly followed her, and with another look around, Maud joined them. 

"Whoa…" Enid stood by the door and gawked. The cavernous room spread out in front of them. Millie didn't care about the gold leaf moldings, the ornaments on the ceiling, the unlit chandeliers, or the delicate parquet floors, but Enid and Maud were both stunned. Light spilled in from banks of windows that lined one side of the room and cast odd shadows. The sitting room had looked like something you might find in a fancy home. This room… it really looked like they were in a palace. "This is amazing," Enid said. 

Millie turned around and looked at them then rolled her eyes. "That isn't why I brought you here." She grabbed Enid's hand and dragged her forward, confident that Maud would follow them. Millie stopped when she got to the first of several suits of armor. "Aren't they so cool?"

"Totally," Enid said as she leaned in for a closer look. 

Maud adjusted her glasses, looked the knight up and down and then turned back to the room. "Are we in a ballroom?" 

Millie looked over her shoulder at Maud. "I guess so, yeah." 

"I want to go to a ball," Enid said, but she was still looking at the armor. She reached out and traced a finger over the whorl etched in its surface. 

"Mildred Hubble," the queen bit out as the door to the room clicked shut. 

Millie's eyes went wide as she snapped around. Maud squeaked and Enid immediately pulled her hands away and tucked them behind her back. Mildred dropped into a curtsy through her surprise. "Your majesty." Maud gaped and Enid's eyes went wide as they tried at curtsies of their own. 

The queen crossed her arms and drummed her fingers against one bicep as she glared down at them. The silence echoed around the room.

"I do not know where you are supposed to be, but I know that you are not supposed to be in here. You will return from whence you came immediately," the queen said in a low voice that left Millie terrified. 

"Yes, ma'am," Millie gulped and slunk toward the door. She had just opened it and ushered Maud and Enid out when the queen spoke again.

"And Miss Hubble, we _will_ be discussing this incident." Millie shivered in dread. 

"Yes, ma'am."

***

Hecate fumed as she waited for Pippa to join her in her office. Her bad mood was obvious from the tone of her summons. Hecate wanted to pace but she didn't.

She locked her eyes on the door as soon as it opened and Pippa entered. "How could you be so reckless?" 

"If you're referring to the girls, I'm sorry that they got out of hand. Miss Cackle has seen Miss Spellbody and Miss Nightshade off to their parents." Pippa answered. She kept her voice calm and it infuriated Hecate even more. 

"To their…" Hecate's nostrils flared as she took a deep breath. "Miss Hubble and her two miscreant friends were running about in the hallways, disturbing antiques from the 14th century. Her _friends_ who shouldn't have been here at all."

"Ada and I had a conversation about that, and neither of us could see the harm--"

"You and Ada?" Hecate cut Pippa off. "Since when are you and Ada the ones making these decisions?" Pippa and Ada were supposed to be ensuring that Mildred's existence stayed a secret. Inviting people over to Buckingham Place did not seem discrete to Hecate. 

"Forgive me, but they're just children," Pippa said. Hecate bristled. 

"Do you really think I would forgive you _anything_." 

"I know you don't believe me, but I didn't sell those pictures to that rag. Moreover, it's been more than 20 years. Damn it, Hecate, I know you were hurt, but it wasn't my fault. And it wasn't fair of you to cut me out of your life without talking to me about it first. You were my best friend and you couldn't give me the benefit of the doubt. How do you think that made me feel?" Pippa forgot herself, using Hecate's first name. She thought she had put all of this behind her. 

"How it made you feel? I was nearly outed by a tabloid." Hecate narrowed her eyes. A lesbian princess certainly wouldn't have been accepted in 1990, particularly not by her father. She would have been disinherited. 

"But you weren't and I had nothing to do with any of it," Pippa insisted. 

"I did what I had to do," Hecate snapped out. Pippa's eyes went wide but she wasn't going to let this go. She wasn't a confused twenty-year-old anymore. 

"No, you did what was convenient. You were scared, and getting rid of me was easier than admitting how you felt." Pippa wrapped her arms around herself as tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. 

Hecate gritted her teeth. Was Pippa right? Hecate didn't know. She felt every year between 1990 and that day, just like she could feel the hurt Pippa radiated. She couldn't help it. Even after all of these years, she hated that she was the one to cause that pain. She just wanted to fix it. 

"Pippa." Pippa tried to turn away, ready to storm out, but Hecate reached out and caught her around the wrist, then pulled Pippa into her arms. She cradled the other woman there. It was the closest they'd been in decades. Pressed against each other, it was the closest they had ever been. "I shouldn't have…" It was the best Hecate could do. Pippa looked up at her. 

" _I loved you_." Pippa said. The tears that had been threatening finally fell as Pippa beat the side of her fist weakly against Hecate's chest. Hecate tightened her arms around the other woman and pulled her closer. "I…" Pippa's voice broke.

"I know. I know you did, Pipsqueak." But Hecate couldn't return the declaration, even though it was true. She just held Pippa as tightly as she could and let Pippa cry into her shoulder. She moved to cup the back of Pippa's head and placed a kiss on the other woman's forehead. "I know you did." Hecate kissed Pippa's temple, her cheek, the hinge of her jaw. She kissed the edge of Pippa's lips, and Pippa shuddered in Hecate's arms. Finally, Hecate kissed Pippa. She kissed her for thirty years. She kissed her for all of the things she couldn't say. She brushed their lips together time and time again. Almost against her will, Hecate's tongue snuck out and tasted Pippa's lips. Hecate would never be able to taste anything else. Then Pippa's tongue was meeting her own. They rubbed together as Hecate tentatively sought the inside of Pippa's mouth. There was no question that Pippa would grant Hecate's request, and as their tongues slid together, Hecate whimpered. She shifted the hand that was cupping the back of Pippa's head to cup her jaw instead, letting her fingers trail through the edges of Pippa's hair as she moved. 

Finally, she had to breathe. She didn't want to. She rested her forehead against Pippa's, their noses still bumping together. 

"Pippa…" Hecate breathed her name. She pleaded her name. She nearly joined Pippa in her tears. 

"Hecate." Pippa leaned in and caught Hecate's lips in a kiss and then another and another, each more frantic than the last, and Hecate returned each one. She let Pippa take over and they tumbled down onto the nearest couch. It took only seconds for Pippa to arrange herself astride Hecate's lap. Her skirt made it awkward but neither of them cared. Pippa let it ride up, and Hecate's hands found skin there through Pippa's stockings. Hecate's pushed her fingers slightly up past Pippa's hemline while Pippa started kissing up Hecate's jaw toward her ear. "Is this real?" Pippa whispered. "After all of this time, tell me this is real." Pippa nuzzled under Hecate's ear. 

"It's as real as it can be," Hecate replied. Hecate didn't know exactly what she meant, but for here and now they were together. She abandoned Pippa's legs to cup her face. There was a far-off sound and suddenly all of Hecate responsibilities came rushing back to her. "We can't," Hecate swallowed hard as both her hands and Pippa's face fell. She didn't want to stop. She wanted to be selfish. She wanted to light up Pippa's face again. "We can't do this now. We can't do this here." God but this was a bad idea. It was a bad idea she couldn't say no to. 

"But we are doing this?" Pippa asked. Hecate hesitated. It wasn't the first time she had done something like this, but never before had it been with Pippa. Never had it meant so much. She swallowed again and looked away from Pippa for a long moment. "Hecate?" 

Hearing her name snapped Hecate out of her thoughts and back to Pippa. She rubbed a thumb over Pippa's cheek. "Come by tonight?" Hecate asked uncertainly. "They'll let you in."

"What time?" Pippa trembled. She scratched her fingers over the nape of Hecate's neck. This time it was Hecate's turn to shudder. 

"I should be finished with my day by ten," Hecate whispered as she lightly brought her lips back together with Pippa's. 

"You should," Hecate swallowed hard. "You should bring a bag." Now she was committed. She would see Pippa that night and they would finish this. Maybe once would be enough and she could get back to her normal life. She suspected that wasn't true.

***

Pippa couldn't suppress the butterflies that had taken over her stomach. She'd barely been able to eat dinner. She was so nervous but knew she would need her energy, at least she hoped she would need her energy, so she managed to take a few bites anyway.

Hecate clearly had a plan for that night, but Pippa could only guess at what it might be. It had seemed obvious that afternoon, but now, with so many hours passed, Pippa's uncertainty only grew. Maybe Hecate was merely asking her over for a late meal or to play chess or simply to talk. Any of them were possibilities, and Pippa would happily join Hecate for any of them, but surely that wasn't what Hecate intended when she invited Pippa to her private apartment so late in the evening, when she told Pippa to bring a bag. That certainly implied they were going to engage in a very specific activity. There was no etiquette for this. No lesson she could teach herself. There was just going and seeing what would happen. 

Pippa took a fortifying breath, pulled out a small case, and started pulling together an outfit for the next day.

***

"If you finish that, I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Hecate said without looking up as Pippa started to curtsy. She was sitting at the desk in her private office signing the last of several declarations and, as they warranted, was utterly focused on them.

"Noted." Pippa stood up straight. She tried to relax, but nervous energy kept her tense. "How did you know?"

Hecate finally turned around and pulled off her glasses. "I just did," she shrugged. "Would you like a nightcap?" There wasn't anything in the room, but Pippa was sure it was only a matter of asking and either of them could have whatever they wanted. Pippa wasn't in the mood for a drink though. Perhaps it would be polite to say yes. Pippa didn't feel like being polite.

"Is that how this goes?" she asked. When in a new situation, it was always better to simply ask what the norms were. Better to ask than to assume something incorrect and risk offending someone, offending Hecate.

"It can go however you like." Hecate tightened her hands on the arms of her chair. It was a nervous habit that Pippa remembered from their university days. It was good to know that this older Hecate wasn't completely unknown to her. She wanted to assuage Hecate's uncertainty. 

Pippa walked over and sat herself on Hecate's lap. There. That was as good statement of her intent as she could offer. She draped her arms around Hecate's neck and slid closer as Hecate's arms came up to circle her waist. She could have stayed there, secure in Hecate's arms for a long time, but neither of them really wanted to just sit together. She leaned down for a brief kiss that ended up lingering. They were still getting to know one another, still trying to navigate whether to do so slowly, deliberately or to rush forward. Pippa broke the kiss and caught her breath. "You've done this before." It wasn't a question. 

"Would you be shocked if I said yes?" Pippa wasn't. Pippa hardly expected Hecate to be a blushing virgin after all this time, but taking lovers as the queen had to be a complicated endeavor. Hecate would have worked out the logistics long ago. Truly, it was amazing that there hadn't been any concrete rumors about the queen's love life in years. It was as if the press really did think her to be a 48-year-old virgin. 

"No. Perhaps a bit jealous though," Pippa jested. She didn't begrudge Hecate her past lovers. She only wished she had been among them, that everything hadn't been ruined right before they'd had a chance to begin. 

"You've no need to be. None of them were you." Hecate nuzzled under Pippa's ear before placing a kiss there, and anything Pippa had been worried about instantly vanished. "I've wanted you since I was 19. I can't say that about anyone else."

Pippa's breath caught in her chest as she shuddered. If she had had any doubts about her feelings, they were gone now. "I feel the same." She kissed Hecate again, a longer, more thorough kiss this time. 

"I take it that's a ‘no’ to a nightcap," Hecate said dryly. Pippa smiled in amusement and looked at Hecate affectionately as she stood up and offered Hecate her hand. 

"I assume you have a bedroom around here? Or is it the Royal Bedchamber," Pippa teased. There was no way Hecate would allow something so foolish as that to have a place in her life. Pippa was amazed when Hecate didn't glare at her. 

"Just a bedroom, I'm afraid." Hecate stood. She looked away for a moment and Pippa couldn't tell what she was thinking. After a second, she brought her attention back to Pippa. 

"Show me?" Pippa asked. 

"Happily," Hecate tangled her fingers with Pippa's and tugged, leading them out of the office and toward her bedroom.

***

Hecate squeezed Pippa's hand as they finally entered her bedroom. She let go and carefully closed the door behind them with a snick. "Is it what you expected?" Hecate asked.

"It's very you," Pippa replied. Dark woods and dark fabrics decorated the room, but given her reputation, Hecate thought it was warm in a way most people would find surprising. Soft cream sheets covered the bed, and a bout of nerves suddenly fired in Hecate's stomach. She no longer had the blind self-confidence of youth on her side as she had when she first contemplated going to bed with Pippa all those years ago. Surely at almost fifty, she would be a disappointment. 

"Whatever you're thinking, darling, stop," Pippa said as she brushed a hand across the small of Hecate's back, and Hecate startled out of her thoughts. Despite the touch, she felt jumpy and unsettled. Pippa stepped around Hecate until she faced her once again. "There's no reason to be nervous." She reached up and cupped Hecate's cheek. 

"There's every reason," Hecate replied with a raspy voice. She turned her face into Pippa's hand. 

"No," Pippa placed a light kiss on Hecate's lips, "there isn't." Hecate wanted to believe her but she didn't know how. She didn't know how to stop worrying. She tentatively brought her hand to the side of Pippa's neck and ran her thumb against Pippa's jaw. 

"I want this to be perfect for you," Hecate whispered as if saying it more loudly would jinx everything. 

"No matter what happens, it's going to be perfect because you're going to be here with me." Pippa leaned in for another kiss. Hecate sucked in a breath at the feeling of Pippa's lips against hers, soft and pliant, and she returned the kiss. A different sensation buzzed under her skin now, one originating much lower than her stomach. Pippa's tongue swept across the seam of her lips and Hecate opened her mouth at the request. She startled again when Pippa's tongue finally met her own. Despite the kisses earlier in the day, even the ones just minutes before, everything still felt overwhelmingly new. Hecate let her hand trail from Pippa's neck to her shoulder, her other arm coming up to wrap around Pippa's waist where she clung to the other woman. 

"I'm going to take your hair down now," Pippa said as she brought her hands up and started looking for the pins that kept Hecate's hair up. The pins scratched against Hecate's scalp and made Hecate shiver. 

"It's faster if I do it," Hecate replied reaching up to help. Pippa batted her hands away. 

"It isn't about faster. I want to do it and I think you're going to let me." Pippa found the first of the pins and pulled it out before moving on to find the next and the next. "Aren't you?" Pippa smirked. 

"If that's what you want." Pippa could do anything she desired that night. 

"Mmm," Pippa said as Hecate dropped her head to Pippa's shoulder to make it easier to take her hair down. A few more pins and the plait fell down her back. Another second and the tie holding the end disappeared into Pippa's hand. With just a bit of help from Pippa, Hecate's plait unraveled, and Hecate shivered at the feel of Pippa's hands threading through her hair. "That’s better,” Pippa said. “I’ve missed seeing your hair down.”

"I…" Hecate swallowed heavily. 

"Shh, darling." Hecate, so used to being the one to give the orders, allowed Pippa to coax her into silence. She pressed more firmly into Pippa's shoulder as Pippa kept running her fingers through Hecate's hair and scratching against her scalp. "So much better," Pippa said as Hecate went pliant under her hands, the tension finally releasing from her shoulders and back. 

Hecate turned her head and placed a kiss against Pippa's neck. She felt Pippa shiver against her lips and was awed at her ability to affect the other woman, that such a small thing could cause that reaction. 

Pippa fiddled with the top button on Hecate's dress, the one right at the nape of her neck. "This is going to be complicated, isn't it?" She didn't wait for an answer before she unfastened it. 

"I would have changed but…" But what, Hecate didn't know. She could have found the time if she had wanted to. Maybe she didn't want to seem as eager as she felt. She had been worried all evening. Maybe she wanted the indulgence of feeling Pippa's fingers as she peeled the dress off. Pippa's own skirt and blouse looked supremely easy to remove and Hecate's hands itched to do just that. 

"There's no need to explain." Pippa ducked around Hecate to her back where she could reach all of the buttons that ran down her spine. Pippa unbuttoned the first and the second before parting the fabric and placing an open-mouthed kiss between Hecate's shoulder blades. The touch of Pippa's tongue branded her skin with words Hecate couldn't decipher yet. Another button and Pippa ran into Hecate's belt. She didn't let that stop her. She wrapped her arms around Hecate's waist and started unfastening each of the buckles as she plastered herself to Hecate's back. When the belt finally came loose, Pippa placed it carefully to the side and returned to her mission, unfastening the final two buttons. She pushed her hands under the fabric and pushed it forward. As soon as the dress started to come off, Hecate moved to help and in less than a minute, the dress pooled on the floor. Hecate stepped out of the dress and her shoes.

"Leave it," Hecate rasped out as Pippa bent to collect the dress. Pippa ignored her, quickly straightened it out and placed it next to the belt. Pippa wrapped her arms around Hecate again and hugged her tightly as she kissed over Hecate's shoulder blades. 

"Stop trying to be in charge," Pippa said into Hecate's skin. "I'm not going to let you." 

As soon as those words registered, Hecate shuddered. She didn't know they were exactly what she needed to hear, but now that Pippa had said them, Hecate melted. Pippa swept her hands up Hecate's torso and cupped her breasts, just feeling the weight of them in her hands, before she swiped her thumbs over Hecate's nipples through her bra. Hecate's stomach clenched. 

"I'm going to take this off of you now," Pippa said as she followed the band of Hecate's bra back to the clasp. Unfastening it was quick work, and it followed Hecate's dress off to the side before Pippa's hands found Hecate's uncovered breasts.

Hecate gasped. She pushed back into Pippa as Pippa lightly massaged her breasts. Each press sent zings down to Hecate's core and she arched forward and moaned when Pippa's fingers finally found her nipples and pinched them. "That's my good girl," Pippa murmured in her ear. Hecate whimpered, and Pippa tugged lightly on the hard nubs beneath her fingers. 

Hecate couldn't believe she was there with Pippa, that it was Pippa making her feel like she was going to come apart and burst into a million pieces. Yet Pippa had barely done anything. Hecate reached back and grabbed Pippa's hips to steady herself.

Pippa latched her mouth onto the top of Hecate's shoulder and bit down. Hecate's squeak turned into another moan. There would be a mark in the morning, and it was good Hecate never wore anything revealing. Pippa nuzzled into the spot. "I want to leave marks all over you. I don't want you to be able to forget this night for a long time." 

" _Please_." Hecate shuddered. But despite her words, Pippa's kisses turned gentle again. 

"Let's see if we can't get you out of the rest of this clothing," Pippa said as she moved her hands from Hecate's breasts down to the top of her knickers. She ran her fingers under the top edge before slowly getting to her knees. Hecate had to close her eyes before the trembling in her own knees would make her fall over. That didn't stop her from being able to feel Pippa's hands at the top of her stockings. Gentle fingers slowly pushed them down and helped her step out of each one in turn. "I almost want to leave these on you. Do you know how sexy you are?" Pippa asked. 

"I'm not," Hecate's voice broke. 

"You are." Pippa took Hecate's hips in her hands and turned Hecate to face her. She nuzzled her face into the crease of Hecate's thigh before dropping a kiss there. "May I?" she asked as she took the edge of Hecate's knickers between her fingers. 

"You too?" Hecate asked in return. She needed to not be alone in this. 

"In a minute," Pippa replied. Hecate jerkily nodded. It was permission enough for Pippa. She hooked her fingers and swiftly pulled down Hecate's knickers, not giving her time to become self-conscious. A kiss between Hecate's navel and pubic bone punctuated the movement. Pippa got back up to her feet and pulled Hecate into her arms, running a soothing hand down her back. "Do you know how much I want you?"

"It can't be more than I want you," Hecate said. Pippa's clothing felt rough against her overly sensitive skin as Hecate leaned in for a kiss. As the kiss turned deeper, she scrabbled at Pippa's clothing, clutching at her shirt. Suddenly everything felt urgent. She burned with need and Pippa picked up on it and matched it in kind. "Now?" she asked. 

"Now," Pippa panted. She raised her arms as Hecate pulled her shirt up and off, and she unhooked her own bra as Hecate dealt with her skirt. Soon she was as naked as Hecate, their skin finally touching, burning together. She pushed Hecate back toward the bed. "I want to put my mouth on you," Pippa sighed into Hecate's ear. "I want to push my fingers into you. I want to make you come over and over again. Will you let me?" Pippa asked. 

Hecate's knees gave out. Luckily, she caught herself on the edge of the bed. She clung to Pippa. "Please," she breathed into the skin of Pippa's stomach. "Please."

"Good girl," Pippa said as she ran her fingers through Hecate's hair. She bent over to kiss Hecate, then sank to her knees again. "Spread your legs for me." Pippa pressed at the inside of Hecate's knees as Hecate obeyed Pippa's instruction. Hecate took a deep breath and parted her thighs. She couldn't hide anything from Pippa anymore. 

Pippa ran her hands up the inside of Hecate's thighs following them with her mouth. As she got closer and closer to Hecate's center, Hecate's breathing got rougher and rougher. She leaned back on her elbows and nearly collapsed when Pippa finally placed a kiss against her outer lips. Suddenly, Hecate couldn't breathe. "Pippa," she whimpered. Pippa brought one of her hands up to grasp Hecate's hip. She nuzzled forward through flesh and hair until she found Hecate's wetness as Hecate made a strangled noise and arched forward. 

Pippa used her free hand to part Hecate's lips as she delved between them. She wanted to make good on her words. She was going to make good on her words. She was going to fuck Hecate until she couldn't see straight and then fuck her again. Pippa licked from Hecate's entrance to her clit, and Hecate shook. New tension tightened Hecate's muscles. "That's it, darling," Pippa said. 

"I can't," Hecate pled as she arched forward. They couldn't do this. She couldn't do this. Anticipation, fear, and nerves overwhelmed her. 

Pippa squeezed Hecate's hip, providing a grounding presence as her tongue slid through Hecate's wetness once again. "Yes, you can." Pippa said. She sounded confident and Hecate couldn't help but react to her tone. Maybe she could do this. Maybe it was finally time.

Hecate allowed Pippa to ease one of her legs over her shoulder. Pippa's hand on Hecate's hip slid down to her thigh and pushed Hecate's legs just a bit further apart. As soon as she did that, she leaned forward again, burying herself between Hecate's thighs. 

Hecate grabbed at the bedsheets, holding them tighter and tighter with each swipe of Pippa's tongue. She had thought the night would start with fumbling touches as they fell into bed together. She should have known better. Pippa had never been one for predictability or tentativeness.

Hecate gasped as Pippa thrust her tongue into her and started lapping against her entrance. She couldn't hold herself up on her elbows any longer. Her arms gave out, and without a trace of dignity, she ended up lying flat on the bed. The muscles in her stomach and thighs quivered as she tensed and relaxed them to Pippa's rhythm. 

Pippa shifted her attention back up to Hecate's clit and sparks shot up Hecate's nerve endings. She dug her heel into Pippa's back as she pressed herself into Pippa's mouth. "More," she said as she shuddered. "Please, Pippa. Please," Hecate begged. 

"In a moment, darling. You can wait just a bit longer," Pippa said as Hecate whined and flexed her leg to pull Pippa close again. Pippa chuckled but obeyed Hecate's unspoken request to begin licking her again. She flicked and swirled her tongue against Hecate's clit, building her back up with each movement. Just as she reached her peak, Pippa backed off again. Hecate gasped and whimpered. She didn't think she could take any more of Pippa's teasing. 

" _Please_ ," she begged again. A tear leaked out of the corner of her eye.

Pippa didn't respond verbally this time. She hummed her agreement against Hecate's clit as she started licking her again. She nibbled at Hecate with her lips before she finally started to press her tongue against Hecate's clit with intent. The muscles in Hecate's thighs jumped and twitched, each time getting a bit tighter. All of the muscles in Hecate's body got tighter and tighter the more Pippa licked. Then Pippa found just the right spot and just the right rhythm. Hecate gasped as her vision went white and then black, as all of her muscles clenched, as all of her nerves fired at the same time.

Pippa licked Hecate through her orgasm, only stopping when Hecate finally shied away from her touch. Instead, she nuzzled into Hecate's thigh. 

Pippa waited until Hecate's breathing returned to normal before she started to move again, wincing as she stood, but ignoring it in favor of going to Hecate and crawling into her outstretched arms. The angles were too awkward to stay that way for long though. 

"You have a beautiful bed. I suggest we make use of it," Pippa said as she nuzzled against the still recovering Hecate's neck. 

"Mmm," Hecate responded. Her limbs didn't want to respond to any of the commands she gave them. Still, she made a valiant effort, and with Pippa's help, she managed to arrange herself the correct way in the bed. As soon as she was settled, Pippa wrapped Hecate's arms around her and pressed close. 

"I'm giving you five minutes, and I'm doing that again," Pippa murmured into Hecate's neck and left a trail of kisses. 

"No," Hecate said. 

"No?" Pippa asked incredulously.

"In five minutes, you're going to be too distracted to think about doing anything to me," Hecate said as she rolled onto her side and draped an arm over Pippa's waist to pull her closer. She started nibbling on Pippa's neck. The tiny bite marks would disappear in minutes, and Hecate loved the sounds Pippa made with each nip of her teeth against Pippa's skin, so she kept doing it all the way down Pippa's chest to her breasts. 

"Oh," Pippa sighed as Hecate sucked one of Pippa's nipples into her mouth. She threaded her fingers into Hecate's hair and held her in place. "I suppose I can wait for another turn." She shuddered as Hecate's fingers brushed against her mound. 

"I thought you might," Hecate said as she grinned. She had plans of her own.


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hecate and Pippa deal with the fallout of their night together. 
> 
>  
> 
> ***
> 
> Pippa woke up in what had to be the most comfortable bed she had ever slept in. She stretched out to feel for Hecate but found only cool sheets. She had no idea what time it was, but it had to be early. Hecate wasn't the type to sleep in. She made an unhappy noise and slowly opened her eyes. As she did, she caught Hecate's eyes as the other woman sat in a chair on the other side of the room. Pippa knew Hecate had been watching her sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, but hopefully the length makes up for it. I have no idea how long the next update is going to take.
> 
> Thanks to my betas obviousinadequacies and delicatepoem.

Pippa woke up in what had to be the most comfortable bed she had ever slept in. She stretched out to feel for Hecate but found only cool sheets. She had no idea what time it was, but it had to be early. Hecate wasn't the type to sleep in. She made an unhappy noise and slowly opened her eyes. As she did, she caught Hecate's eyes as the other woman sat in a chair on the other side of the room. Pippa knew Hecate had been watching her sleep. Hecate pulled her robe more tightly around herself and looked away. Pippa already had an idea of what Hecate was going to say. 

"You don't have to say it." Hecate's lifted her eyes but this time it was Pippa's turn to look away. Just because she knew Hecate was going to dismiss her didn't mean it hurt any less. The night before had been special no matter what Hecate said today. 

"I don't want there to be any misunderstandings." Hecate cleared her throat. "This can't happen again. Not because…" Hecate shifted in her seat. "It simply can't." 

"If you're expecting an argument, you won't get one." Pippa knew it wouldn't sway Hecate. She wondered how long Hecate had been awake thinking about the night before. If Pippa had woken up sooner, could she have stopped Hecate from coming to this conclusion? It didn't matter now. She could tell Hecate's mind was made up. 

Hecate deflated in relief. "I don't want to fight with you." 

"Given our frequent differences of opinion, I'm afraid that may be inevitable," Pippa responded. But she took Hecate's meaning. They wouldn't be fighting about anything personal, not anymore. 

Hecate hummed in agreement. "You're welcome to stay for breakfast." 

"I think it's for the best if I don't." Pippa clutched the sheets more tightly to her chest. If she stayed, she would want to try and change Hecate's mind. 

Hecate nodded. "I'll leave you to shower then." Her eyes flicked to the bathroom’s door as she stood. Pippa got out of the bed. Hecate tried to look away, but Pippa felt her eyes on her. She walked over to Hecate, invading her personal space, but Hecate didn't retreat. Pippa raised her face for one last kiss. Hecate hesitated, but after a long moment spent gazing down at Pippa, she relented. Their lips met softly, and then their tongues. The kiss deepened and Pippa inhaled sharply as Hecate's arms came up around her. Eventually, though it happened slowly, the kiss had to end. 

"Goodbye, Hecate," Pippa said as she pushed back against Hecate's chest and stepped away. She turned and headed toward the bathroom. She missed the bereft look on Hecate's face.

***

Hecate balled her hands into fists and relaxed them. Then she did it again and again. Ada thought she detected a rhythm to it. "Hecate," she said then paused, "is everything alright?"

Hecate blinked and came back to herself. They were 20 minutes into their daily meeting and she barely knew what they were talking about. 

"Why wouldn't…? Everything is fine."

"You simply seem tense, that's all." 

Hecate shifted in her seat. She hadn't stayed around to watch Pippa leave, but ever since then, Hecate had felt off balance. What had last night meant to Pippa? Had it simply been about the past? About too many emotions kept in check for too long? That had to be it. And it couldn't continue. Things would get far too complicated. She knew she was already half in love with Pippa. She couldn't allow that to happen.

"Hecate," Ada said gently to get her attention again. Hecate's eyes snapped back to Ada. Hecate huffed. "Perhaps we should wrap up the meeting for today. There isn't anything that can't wait until tomorrow."

Hecate pursed her lips. "Fine," she said, frustrated at her own distraction. It felt like she had been nothing but distracted since Pippa had come back into her life. Distracted and conflicted, and the night before had done nothing to help either situation.

Ada stood and started to gather her things. 

"Pippa…" Hecate paused and Ada stopped gathering her things.

"Yes?" Ada answered. "Has she done something? You know we really didn't believe having Miss Hubble's friends over yesterday would cause such a ruckus." 

Hecate waved Ada off. "Pippa and I have already discussed…" Hecate paused again. She needed to talk to someone about this and Ada seemed the logical choice. She would find out quite soon anyway. "Pippa… I want her to have full access to my apartments." That wasn't what she meant to say at all. What would Pippa do with access to her apartments when Hecate had already told her that they couldn't be together. Still, all she could imagine was Pippa in her space, and it felt right.

If Ada had thoughts about it, about how Hecate had never given anyone beyond her brother such access, they didn't show on her face. "Of course. I'll see that she does." 

Hecate nodded, but she appeared no less troubled. 

"Is there something else?" Ada asked. 

Hecate pursed her lips but found herself talking anyway. "Pippa stayed last night and I find myself confused about what it means." Hecate's brow furrowed, her bewilderment reflected in her eyes. 

Ada looked at Hecate in sympathy. "I can't possibly understand all of your history together. Particularly since you haven't explained it to me, but I can say this: if she makes you happy, there's nothing wrong with that." Ada squeezed Hecate's forearm. "You're allowed to be happy. Beyond that, you'll have to speak to Miss Pentangle." 

Hecate swallowed and jerkily nodded. "Thank you, Ada," she said, and promptly turned away, since she had many other responsibilities to attend to. Already Pippa was distracting her from them. What would happen if this continued for more than one night? Did Pippa even want her past this morning? Was it just about the sex? Hecate didn't know the answers to any of her questions. She had cut off that conversation before it could even happen. Still, it was for the best.

***

Millie walked into the sitting room for tea with the queen, full of trepidation. After the disaster earlier in the week, she just knew the queen would still be furious. She took her usual seat, crossed her legs at her ankles and waited.

Hecate swept into the room only moments later. Millie hopped up to curtsy and the queen pursed her lips. What had she done now? Millie looked back over the last minute and couldn't think of anything. Maybe the queen was still upset about her sneaking into the ballroom. Millie remembered now that they were supposed to have a talk about it. She sat back down. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean… I didn't think…" Millie started.

"You are correct, you didn't think," the queen chastised her, but her tone wasn't as biting as it could have been. Millie slumped in her seat. 

"I know. I just wanted to be able to see my friends. I didn't tell them anything." 

"Be that as it may," the queen said as she sat down, "you never should have been allowed to have them over to the palace. I'm sure there were other options." In what had become a familiar ritual, the queen prepared her tea and took a sip. Millie slumped down even more, despite knowing her terrible posture would probably get her in more trouble. 

"However," the queen continued, "knowing that you shouldn't have your friends over was not your responsibility, and thus not your fault."

Not her fault? Millie perked up.

"Though I'm sure sneaking around the palace was entirely your idea. I hope your mother has set some appropriate punishment for you to think about your actions?"

Millie nodded. Except for her riding lessons, she was grounded for the week and had to help some of the staff polish silver to make up for the fingerprints she and Enid nearly put all over the suit of armor. 

"Then I don't think we need to discuss it further," the queen said. "Why don't you tell me, instead, about what you've been learning with Miss Pentangle?"

That was it? The queen hadn't yelled or anything. She hadn't even seemed particularly mad. Millie didn't want to question her good fortune, so she didn't ask what had changed in the last day, but it was weird. Millie shrugged it off, took her own teacup, and started to tell the queen about her week.

***

"The summer is nearly over, and she's as ready as an eleven-year-old girl is going to get," Pippa said. Julie took a seat. It was the first time she had been in Hecate's office and for some reason, seeing a computer on Hecate's desk was the thing that captured her attention. She supposed she didn't think the modern age would have penetrated so far into the queen's inner sanctum. It was a ridiculous thought. Of course the queen had a computer. She looked between Ada and the queen to see who would respond first.

"I agree with Miss Pentangle." Ada adjusted her glasses and looked toward the queen. Julie followed her gaze and could tell from the queen's face that Pippa and Ada were in for a fight. 

"Absolutely not," Hecate responded. "She cannot possibly be prepared for everything it would mean to be a princess at her age." 

"It's going to come out eventually. It would be better for us to get ahead of it now," Ada said and Julie wanted to agree with her. At the same time, she agreed with the queen. Millie couldn't possibly be ready yet. Not her little girl. 

"Of course it's going to come out, but we can wait until she's older. Until she's a teenager, at least, if not until after she's gone to university," Hecate responded adamantly as if there was no argument to be had. 

"Hecate, that's a decade away. There's no way we'll be able to keep a secret like this for that long. Think about how much worse this will be if the tabloids break this story and not the palace," Pippa said.

Julie blinked in surprise at hearing the queen's first name fall so easily from Pippa's lips, but the queen seemed not to notice or if she did, she didn't react. 

"What do you think?" the queen asked, looking directly at Julie. Julie rubbed her palms on her thighs as she looked back. It didn't matter that she had been visiting the palace for weeks during her time off — having the queen stare at you was still bloody intimidating. 

"I think…" Julie gathered her thoughts. "I agree that waiting until Millie is in university is unrealistic, but I would like to wait a bit longer, if that's possible. Maybe a year or two. Until she's 13, perhaps? Give her some time to get settled in whatever fancy boarding school we're sending her to in the fall and make some friends who just want to be friends with her and not the princess." That all sounded reasonable to Julie, at least. And it would give both her and Millie some more time to get used to the idea, which still seemed surreal to her. 

"I believe that settles it for now," the queen said as she looked between Pippa and Ada. 

"If that's what it's to be," Ada said, "then we'll do our best to keep Miss Hubble's secret." Ada looked at Pippa significantly.

"Of course," Pippa chimed in, though Julie didn't think she looked convinced. 

Ada stood and Julie took it as her cue to do the same. Pippa, however, stayed where she was. Julie looked at Ada questioningly, but Ada merely ushered her out of the room.

***

"You're too close to this," Pippa said as soon as Julie and Ada left the room. "Things aren't the same as when you were a child."

"No," Hecate responded. "They're worse."

"All the more reason to tell people now and get it over with," Pippa pointed out. She really did think it was the best course of action for both Mildred and Hecate. Of course, there would be fall out, but better to have it out and then move past it.

"There is no 'getting it over with.' Once the world knows, it never goes away. We can't take it back. And I will not have her put through that hell until it is absolutely necessary." Hecate rubbed her forehead. 

"It doesn't have to be that bad." Pippa wanted to go to her, wanted to perch on the arm of her chair and soothe her. 

"It might not have to be, but it will be. You don't know what it's like." 

"You're right, I don't. But I know that whatever you went through, Mildred will not have to go through the same thing because we will not let it happen. We can protect her," Pippa said fiercely. Mildred deserved nothing less. 

"We can't protect her from everything." Hecate looked up again. 

"No, but we can do a better job than your parents, than your father." Pippa looked at Hecate in sympathy as Hecate's gaze turned sharp. 

"I practically lived with you during university. Did you think I was oblivious to the pressure he put on you?" Now Pippa did get up and approach Hecate. She stopped just out of reach though. She wasn't allowed to get closer than that. Their relationship had shifted and Pippa didn't know exactly where she stood, how far being ‘friends’ could take her. 

"I…" Hecate sighed. 

"Hecate, no one is going to do that to Mildred. She's a lovely child and people will see that once they get to know her. You just need to give them the opportunity." Pippa tried one more time. 

"This conversation is over," Hecate said. 

Pippa sighed. "Of course," she replied as she headed toward the door.

***

"You didn't get in too much trouble, did you?" Maud asked as she brushed her horse. They had just finished their lesson, and it was the first time they were really talking about it. Millie hoped things didn't get awkward. She hadn't meant to get her friends yelled at.

Before Millie could answer, Enid piped up. "Was that really the queen? It wasn't an impersonator or something?"

"Why would someone impersonating the queen be at Buckingham Palace?" Maud asked, her tone implying just what she thought of Enid's suggestion.

"How d'you know the queen?" Millie had really hoped Maud wouldn't ask that question, but she guessed it was inevitable. 

"Well, it's kind of complicated…" Millie trailed off. She looked around to make sure no one was nearby. "Can you keep a secret?"

***

Pippa was waiting in the smallest of the ballrooms when Mildred joined her. It wasn't as big as the one Mildred, Maud, and Enid had snuck into, but the vaulted ceilings, chandeliers, and large windows made it almost as impressive. A side table held a small speaker and Pippa fiddled with her phone for a moment as Mildred approached her, Mildred's heels clacking against the floor.

"Oh good, you're here," Pippa said as she looked back at Mildred. 

"As ordered," Mildred said back with a cheeky grin on her face. 

Pippa smiled back. "We're going to start learning how to dance today." Pippa walked toward the center of the room. 

"Cool," Mildred said. "Where do we start?"

Pippa smiled at Mildred’s enthusiasm as she started their lesson. They were just getting to the first steps when the door to the ballroom opened and Hecate slipped in. Mildred promptly tripped over her own feet. Pippa laughed gently. "That's alright. You'll get it."

"Perhaps you need some help demonstrating?" Hecate asked. 

"That would be lovely," Pippa smiled indulgently as she held out her hand. Mildred took several steps back and settled in to watch them. Hecate took Pippa's hand and drew her in before wrapping her other hand around Pippa's back. She waited a beat for the music, then with a gentle push, they started dancing. Back, back, side, side, back, back, side, side. The steps were the same ones she had been teaching Mildred, but somehow with Hecate, they were completely different. With Hecate's arms around her, she felt safe, felt cared for. She slid in just a bit closer ignoring that they were no longer a proper distance apart, ignoring the voice in her head telling her this was dangerous. Hecate had already told her that this couldn't happen, that they couldn't be. 

"You've gotten better," Pippa observed. Pippa had coaxed Hecate into a few awkward dances when they were in university, but they'd always been lurching things, Hecate focused too much on making the steps perfect than enjoying the experience. Now, that worry seemed to be gone as Hecate moved them across the dance floor. 

"I've had time to practice." 

"Mmm." Pippa looked down then back up. "Who have you been practicing with?" she whispered. She couldn't stop herself. She thought Hecate might stop their dance, but she didn't. 

"You don't want me to answer that," Hecate whispered back. This wasn't a conversation for Mildred's ears. This wasn't a conversation they should be having at all. 

"You're right." Pippa sighed and looked down again, her voice small. She wanted to press in even closer, but she didn't. "I don't." Her eyes were fixed firmly on Hecate's shoulder. Their dancing naturally stopped at the end of the piece of music. Hecate disentangled her hand from Pippa's and used it to tilt Pippa's face up to meet her eyes again. She just looked at Pippa with an unreadable expression. Finally, Pippa forced herself to pull away. She stepped back before putting on her chipper face once again. 

"Well, Mildred," she said, "did that give you a better idea of what we're trying to do?" 

Mildred shook as if coming out of a daze. It seemed Pippa and Hecate weren't the only ones to get caught up. 

"Yes, Miss Pentangle," Mildred replied. 

"Good." 

Hecate coughed politely. "I'll take my leave now," she said.

***

"Mum," Millie looked up from her dinner, "how do you know when two people are in love?"

"Well, I'm not sure there's a good answer to that question. People in love, well, they care about each other, obviously. They do things for each other. They want the best for each other. They like spending time together. I'm sure there are a bunch of ways to tell if two people are in love." Julie wondered what Millie had seen or heard to prompt the question. "Why do you ask?"

Millie shrugged. "I think the queen might be in love with Miss Pentangle."

Julie nearly choked on her food but she cleared her throat and took a sip of water. "And do you think Miss Pentangle feels the same way?" she asked. 

"I think so, yeah, but it's harder to tell. The queen only really smiles at Miss Pentangle, but Miss Pentangle smiles at everyone. But there's something about the way they look at each other... It's the same way the prince and Cinderella look at each other in the movie." Millie shrugged. 

"Well, I'm sure if you're right, they'll sort everything out for themselves." Julie couldn't believe it. Normally when she got gossip this good, she'd share it with Pippa, but that clearly wasn't an option. In fact, there wasn't anyone she could tell. 

"I hope so. I hope Miss Pentangle really does love the queen back." Millie returned to her food. While Julie thought on it some more, a few things did start to make more sense. She hadn't spent much time with the queen and Pippa together, but there had been some pretty heavy looks in the last meeting they all had, and Pippa using the queen's first name… Maybe Millie was on to something.

***

"I think the gardens might be even more beautiful in the moonlight," Pippa said as she walked next to Hecate down the path that cut through the grounds. It was later than Pippa had intended to stay at the palace, but Hecate had invited her to dinner after her lesson with Mildred ended, and dinner had turned into drinks, and then suddenly it was sliding past 10:30 as the moon came out. Somewhere around drink three, Hecate had turned restless and pensive. Pippa thought she was about to be asked to leave when Hecate invited her out to the gardens for a walk instead.

"Yes. I… I quite like them in the dark." Hecate worried her hands together. Pippa wondered at her mood. Hecate had always been prone to seriousness, but Pippa had never seen her look worried in quite this way, her brow furrowed and her eyes tight even as her steps were measured. It had to be new, a mindset developed sometime in the last thirty years. Pippa wondered just how much else had changed since university. 

As if realizing she was fidgeting, Hecate dropped her hands to her sides. She opened her mouth to speak again but closed it before any words could come out. She simply kept walking and Pippa stayed at her side. Yet, with each step, Hecate's hand brushed the back of Pippa's. Pippa smiled softly. 

"You're allowed to touch, you know," Pippa said as she deliberately pressed the back of her hand against Hecate's. 

"What?" Hecate sounded startled. 

"My hand. You can hold it. Friends can hold hands. We certainly used to." Pippa caught Hecate's hand with her own then squeezed it. Hecate adjusted her grip, but she didn't let go. They walked in silence for several minutes, their footsteps on the path echoing around them. Then Hecate took a deep breath. 

"Why haven't you pulled away?" Hecate disentangled their fingers and went back to fidgeting. "The other night was," Hecate swallowed, "something we owed ourselves. For the past. I expected… You came to dinner. I don't understand why." 

"You didn't think I would say yes when you asked me to stay tonight?" Pippa asked. She stopped walking, and with a hand on Hecate's elbow, turned Hecate to face her. "Hecate," Pippa's heart broke for how uncertain Hecate looked. Didn't she know that Pippa would do almost anything she asked? "I stayed because I like spending time with you. You were my best friend, and I like to think you've become my friend again. I wouldn't have gone to bed with you just because of what we might have been. Yes, that was part of it, but I wouldn't have done it simply because of that. Is that so hard to believe?"

"I…" Hecate shifted under Pippa's gaze. "I'm never speechless but I find I don't know what to say." 

"Oh Hiccup, you don't have to say anything." Pippa leaned in and lightly kissed Hecate. Hecate leaned down into the kiss as it shifted away from innocence toward something more. Pippa licked her tongue into Hecate's mouth as she placed a steadying hand on her waist. Her other hand rested on Hecate's chest at the curve up to her shoulder and pulled her closer. 

"Ask me to stay tonight. Let me prove to you this isn't about the past." Pippa took the chance as she nuzzled against Hecate's jaw. 

"I… I can't." Hecate pulled away and took a step back. She looked panicked and Pippa didn't know what to do with that. Why was Hecate pushing her away? Pippa hadn't let Hecate explain her reasoning before, and now she wished that she had, so she could know what Hecate was thinking in that moment. 

"Alright," Pippa touched her lips as if that might rub away the effects of the kiss. She looked away. "I should…" Pippa swallowed hard. "I need to go." Somehow, she managed to keep her head up and her tears at bay as she walked away.

***

"So we're definitely still going?" Millie asked. Ever since the queen had told her she would be getting princess lessons for the summer, Millie had been convinced that her regular summer camping trip with her mum wasn't going to happen.

"We're still going," Julie replied as she folded a shirt and packed it. "I promise."

"The queen isn't going to make us cancel at the last minute?" She didn't want to get her hopes up only to be disappointed. The queen hadn't been as bad lately, but that didn't mean she couldn't revert to how she had been at the beginning of the summer and forbid the trip as something not befitting a princess. Did princesses camp? Millie guessed if she was going to be allowed out in the woods, then they must.

"Not that I know of, love." Julie kept packing. "You're going to be seriously underprepared if you don't get a move on though." She nodded toward Millie's bag sitting on the bed next to hers. 

"Where are we going?" Millie asked. Her mum liked to keep it a secret until the last minute. 

At that, Julie winced. "Scotland."

"Scotland?" That wasn't on their list of places they wanted to go at all. And Scotland was a big place. 

"The queen had some land…"Julie trailed off. 

"So we're going camping in the Queen's backyard?" Millie could already envision it, their tent set up within eyeshot of a castle or a palace or something. It wasn't going to be real camping.

"I hardly think 50,000 acres counts as a backyard," Julie said. It hardly made Millie feel better. 

Millie gave her mum a skeptical look. 

"Alright, and a security team is going to be nearby." 

" _Mum_ ," Millie said. This was going to be terrible. The security people she had met so far had all been dull and lifeless but at least she got to get away from them most of the time. Now she had to spend a week with them?

"Well, do you want to go camping or not?" Julie asked slightly exasperated.

Mildred sighed. She thought she'd get to get away from the palace for a while, but it turned out they were just going to a different palace or castle or whatever. She had the sudden thought that this was what life was going to be like from now on, and she wasn't sure she liked it. 

"Yes, I still want to go camping," Millie picked up her bag and trudged to her room.

***

Pippa slid her head around the door to Hecate's study. She was trying to act normally again, but it was hard. Their relationship had blurred the lines between friendship and something else for so long, and Pippa didn't know how to find that place where they were just friends again. Still, Hecate meant too much to her not to try.

Hecate looked lost in her work, but Pippa knew there wasn't anything actually pressing on her majesty's agenda for the day. One of the benefits of being on vacation in Scotland. Everything was just far enough away not to intrude. Pippa sauntered into the room and perched herself on the corner of Hecate's desk. "Can I tempt you into a ride?" 

"I thought Miss Hubble and her mother had already left for their camping trip, so I can't imagine you need me along to try to teach her, once again, how to seat a horse."

Pippa rolled her eyes. "Yes, Mildred and Julie left this morning, but I'm not going back down south until tomorrow and I thought a ride might be a good way to pass the afternoon."

"I really must finish these," Hecate gesture to her papers, "before this evening."

"I distinctly remember you saying something earlier about how your day was going to be exceedingly boring. Come on, we can find a field to go cantering through or some logs for you to jump over."

"I never should have admitted that."

"Hecate," Pippa looked at Hecate imploringly, "come have some fun. I know you're not allergic."

Hecate sighed. "Alright. I'll call down and change. I'll see you in the stables in half an hour."

***

Pippa ducked into and then back out of the patches of light that filtered through the trees as she rode. Hecate trailed a few paces behind her letting Pippa set the pace and the destination. The ride had been Pippa's idea after all.

Hecate simply let her mind wander as they progressed forward. Mainly, it wandered to the curve of Pippa's waist, the slope of her neck, and the press of her thighs against the sides of the horse. If she had thought it was distracting when she was in school, it was so much worse now, now that she knew exactly what those thighs felt like when they were wrapped around her waist rather than the horse's. She wasn't supposed to be thinking of Pippa like this, but she couldn't seem to stop herself. It had been going on ever since they had fallen into bed together. She was so distracted, she almost didn't notice when Pippa stopped in the middle of the clearing in front of them. 

Pippa twisted around in her saddle. "I'd like to take a break if you don't mind." She smiled brightly. 

"Of course not." Hecate was already dismounting. She stretched her legs out once she was firmly on the ground. It felt good to roll her ankles around. She pulled off her helmet and tied her horse next to Pippa's at the edge of the clearing then she stepped into the center. 

"I should have brought snacks," Pippa said as she lifted her arms above her head. "I didn't think you'd let me keep you out this long."

Hecate glanced at her watch. "I must have lost track of the time." She blushed. That hadn't happened to her in years, never mind that she always had someone around to usher her to her next appointment if she did somehow get distracted. "You must be a bad influence."

"Whatever shall you do with me?" Pippa laughed.

"I can think of one or two things," Hecate muttered to herself. 

"What was that?" Pippa asked, but her eyes sparkled. Hecate was certain Pippa had heard her and she blushed again. "Just what did you want to do with me?" Pippa sauntered forward. Pippa was flirting with her, and Hecate didn't know what to do. She knew what she wanted to do, but it was such a bad idea. Still, she advanced on Pippa. 

"Oh no. I know that look in your eyes," Pippa said. "Whatever you think you're about to do, stop it right now." Pippa held her hands up but Hecate kept advancing. Pippa ran out of space to retreat and with a yelp, she tried to dart past Hecate. It didn't work. Hecate caught Pippa around the waist and hauled her close. It took no time for her lips to find Pippa's or for her to press Pippa up against the nearest tree. She had spent far too long that afternoon staring at the other woman not to take advantage now that she was able to touch. 

"Hecate," Pippa said as she clung to Hecate's shirt. 

"I want you," Hecate replied as she pressed closer to Pippa. She didn't know if she could stop herself anymore.

"Here? Really?" Pippa said once their lips finally parted. She rested her head back against the tree.

"Do you want me to stop?" Hecate covered Pippa's breasts with her palms. She was doing this. They were doing this.

"Fuck. No," Pippa said as she arched up into Hecate's hands. 

"Good," Hecate started nipping at the side of Pippa's neck and Pippa let her. Pippa's hands scrabbled over Hecate's back as she just tried to hang on. Hecate pushed one of her thighs between Pippa's legs and Pippa bucked forward against it. 

"Hecate," Pippa gasped. 

"I want to watch you come undone," Hecate said. Now that she had let go of her self-control, she didn't know how to find it again. She pinched one of Pippa's nipples through layers of clothing even as her other hand trailed down to Pippa's belt. Hecate deftly unhooked the belt and flicked open the snap of Pippa's riding pants. The zipper took only a moment more, and Hecate pushed her hand down the front of Pippa's pants. 

Pippa burned against her fingers, hot and wet as she delved between Pippa's lower lips. Pippa whined against Hecate's temple, and Hecate wasted no time sliding one, then two fingers inside of Pippa. This wasn't the time or place to linger, and Pippa seemed to understand that as she tried to push herself further onto Hecate's fingers. Hecate held her hand still to let Pippa fuck herself. She braced them against her thigh to give both of them more leverage as she matched Pippa's rhythm and started to thrust back. The heel of her palm grazed Pippa's clit and Pippa dug her fingernails into Hecate's back. Only Hecate's shirt saved her from having nail marks in it. She wanted to put her mouth on Pippa, but she wasn't going to pull Pippa's pants off of her while they were outside. She settled for moving her palm more deliberately against Pippa's clit. 

"Hecate, God, Hecate." Pippa didn't hold anything back. She rocked against Hecate's leg to push her fingers further and further inside herself. She scratched at Hecate's back as she pulled the other woman closer and closer. There was no space between them that wasn't filled by their heavy breathing and their inconvenient clothing. Hecate kissed Pippa with abandon. Just as everything was becoming too much, Pippa started trembling in Hecate's arms. She shuddered her way through her orgasm as Hecate held her up. 

Hecate kissed Pippa's temple as the other woman calmed. She slowly pulled her fingers from inside Pippa, still helping to hold Pippa up as Pippa shivered at the sensation. Hecate wiped her fingers on her own pants, despite how undignified it was, just as Pippa started laughing. 

"What is it?" Hecate was perplexed. What on earth could Pippa be laughing at? She wasn't so insecure as to think it was herself, but nothing else came to mind. 

"It's just," Pippa leaned in and pressed a kiss to Hecate's lips, "no one in the world would believe that the oh so proper queen of England would go off and have sex in the woods and I adore the fact that that is precisely what we just did."

"Yes, well," Hecate looked as ruffled as she ever got, eyebrows headed toward her hairline. She didn't get far into her discomfort though because Pippa kissed her again. 

"I adore you," Pippa said more seriously this time. She brought a hand up to cup Hecate's face. 

"I…" Hecate tried to find the right words. She loved Pippa. _She loved Pippa_. She knew she did, but it was too much, too much for the moment, too much for what they had to be. 

"Shh." Pippa placed her fingers over Hecate's mouth. "You don't have to say anything." Hecate nodded stiffly in response. 

"Now, I would very much like to continue with our present activities, and something tells me you won't consent to that happening against a tree, so I suggest we get up on our horses and head back."

"That would be agreeable," Hecate said. "Shall we make it a race?"

"To my certain defeat?"

Hecate laughed. "If you somehow manage to win, I won't insist on going back to my papers later."

"Tempting," Pippa fastened her pants then mounted her horse, "but not until we get out of the woods. I'm not having my head taken off by a branch." 

"Neither of us wants that." Hecate followed Pippa up and onto her own horse before she turned and headed back the way they had come. As soon as they cleared the forest, Hecate pushed her horse into a gallop and took off across the field. She could just hear Pippa's shout of indignation behind her and she twisted around to look back at Pippa. She knew it was a mistake as soon as she felt her balance waver. Before she could adjust, the horse came out from under her. She had enough presence of mind to kick the stirrups away and try to direct her fall, but there wasn't enough time. She heard a sickening crack as she hit the ground hard. She rolled for several feet and groaned as she came to a stop. 

Hecate pushed herself upright and gingerly got to her feet. She felt like she was going to be sick. Pippa was yards away securing both of their horses, but as soon as she saw Hecate standing, her entire body sagged with relief. She walked the two horses over to Hecate. 

"Are you alright?" Pippa asked. 

"I'm fine," Hecate grimaced. She tried to flex her left hand only to gasp in pain. The overwhelming need to be sick came back, but she pushed it away. She spat instead. "But I think I may have broken my arm." 

Pippa furrowed her brow. "That does not sound like you're fine." She finally reached Hecate's side. 

"Just give me my horse. I can make it back to the stables."

"You did not just suggest that you are going to get back on your horse with a broken arm."

"That is precisely what I mean to do."

"Over my dead body." Pippa reached for the small radio that was attached to her horse's saddle. "We're calling in for help. There is no universe in which you should be getting back on a horse right now." With that, Pippa flicked on the radio that connected her to Hecate's security detail.

Hecate merely pursed her lips knowing this was an argument she had already lost.

***

"The fact that we even have to release a statement about this is ridiculous," Hecate said as she pressed the phone against her ear.

"You and I both know that doesn't matter one way or the other," Ada said. "Just be glad there weren't any photographers about. We'll put out something quiet, try to downplay it as much as we can. Small riding accident. Just a broken arm. You'll be perfectly fine in a few weeks. Etcetera, etcetera. They'll spend a night making fun of you and then everybody will move on."

Hecate wanted to roll her eyes but didn't. Still, her shoulders were tense as she paced. "Fine. I suppose I'll need to schedule some public appearances to prove to everyone that I'm hearty and hale." 

"Nothing that isn't already on your schedule."

"Good. Now, if that's all?"

"Yes ma'am, that's all I have for you now. I'll let you know how the press release goes."

"Thank you." Hecate hung up the phone and turned to Pippa. As soon as Hecate put the phone down, Pippa came over and wrapped her arms around Hecate's waist. Hecate's arms automatically came up to drape over Pippa's shoulders. She winced as her splint touched Pippa's shoulder and she slid her arm up where the top of it was resting on Pippa's shoulder rather than her forearm. The closer proximity allowed Pippa to nuzzle into Hecate's neck. 

"I don't suppose you'll take those painkillers now?" Pippa asked. She placed a light kiss to the skin closest to her lips. 

Hecate harrumphed at the suggestion. She pressed her cheek against the top of Pippa's head. "I'm fine. I don't need any painkillers." 

Pippa rolled her eyes. "At least take some ibuprofen." Pippa pulled away slightly and pressed a kiss to Hecate's lips. "For me?" 

Hecate pursed her lips. Hecate still didn't know exactly what they were doing, beyond how it suddenly gave Pippa the ability to completely disregard any personal space Hecate might try to maintain, but she found she didn't care. "Fine." Hecate knew if she didn't give in now, Pippa would be on her for the rest of the night, and her arm did hurt. She seriously hoped that she would feel better by the next day, but she knew better. The fall would leave her sore. There were already some pills and a glass of water sitting on her desk, likely put there by Pippa while Hecate was on the phone. It was nothing to grab them and take them.  
"Thank you." It earned Hecate another quick kiss. 

Hecate sighed. Pippa might not have won their race, but there would be no work that evening, though not for the reason Hecate hoped. She wouldn't have gone back to her work anyway. She had been looking forward to spending the rest of the day in bed with Pippa. Now there was no way it was going to happen. "You're staying the night?" 

"That was the plan. I can go if--"

"No." Hecate didn't like sounding so needy. She blamed the pain, but she wanted to know that Pippa would be by her side when she went to lie down that night. She assumed Pippa would be by her side that night. They really needed to talk.

"Alright, alright," Pippa chuckled. "I'll stay."

"I don't suppose I could get you to stay a bit longer?" That was definitely the pain. 

"I'm sorry, I can't." Pippa took Hecate in her arms once again. "I have several appointments in London that I've been putting off all summer." 

The slightest pout crossed Hecate's face before she banished it. "I could just order you to stay." 

"It's been a few centuries since royal commands have had the force of law, darling. And what would Mildred think if she heard you were misusing your power like that?"

Hecate sniffed as if that were only a minor inconvenience. Still, she knew that if Pippa could stay, she would. "You did not need to bring up Mildred Hubble to make your point."

"I'm sorry. I won't bring her up again." 

"See that you don't." 

Pippa could only laugh. "Do you think your stomach is settled enough for food?"

"I suppose," Hecate huffed as she pulled away from Pippa. "Call down. The kitchen knows what I'll want." It was the same thing she always wanted when she didn't feel well, and Hecate was starting to feel woozy. "And let's sit while we wait." Hecate half fell into the nearest chair. She already knew it was going to be a long night, even with Pippa by her side.


	7. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer is coming to an end. Is Millie ready to face the future? Are Hecate and Pippa?
> 
> ***
> 
> _QUEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED! PALACE IN TURMOIL!_
> 
> _Inside sources say Queen preparing to officially name heir. It's not the cousin you think!_
> 
>  
> 
> Pippa laughed at the headline knowing it to be completely false. Even if Mildred didn't exist, there was no way Hecate would be naming her second cousin Oliver as her heir. The man was older than Hecate and completely disconnected from reality. Still, there was something compelling in reading the stories she knew for a fact to be lies. Oh, Hecate wouldn't see it that way, and Pippa was already anticipating having to soothe a very grumpy Hecate later, even if only by telephone. She hated that she had to be in London while Hecate was up in Scotland, particularly while she was injured, but there was nothing to be done for it. She had a business to run, one that she had largely ignored for most of the summer while she attended to Mildred and her lessons. But Mildred would be going to school soon, so it was time to get back into the swing of things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to @delicatepoem for the amazing beta job and to @miricleo for the helpful suggestions and cheerleading.

_QUEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED! PALACE IN TURMOIL!_

_Inside sources say Queen preparing to officially name heir. It's not the cousin you think!_

Pippa laughed at the headline knowing it to be completely false. Even if Mildred didn't exist, there was no way Hecate would be naming her second cousin Oliver as her heir. The man was older than Hecate and completely disconnected from reality. Still, there was something compelling in reading the stories she knew for a fact to be lies. Oh, Hecate wouldn't see it that way, and Pippa was already anticipating having to soothe a very grumpy Hecate later, even if only by telephone. She hated that she had to be in London while Hecate was up in Scotland, particularly while she was injured, but there was nothing to be done for it. She had a business to run, one that she had largely ignored for most of the summer while she attended to Mildred and her lessons. But Mildred would be going to school soon, so it was time to get back into the swing of things. 

Pippa put the paper away and started to sort through the post. Most of it was either junk or bills and the two were swiftly placed into different stacks. A few invitations to events in the early autumn interspersed the usual fare, and Pippa sat them aside to respond to once she had a better handle on her schedule. 

"Don't worry, I've kept it all from burning to the ground whilst you've been off on holiday," Marigold said as she walked into Pippa's office. 

"It was a working trip," Pippa said good-naturedly as she spun around in her chair to face the other woman.

"So you went off on a mysterious trip to Scotland for 4 days and had no fun at all? Not even a glass of single malt?" Marigold teased back as she took a seat in Pippa's office.

"Well, I wouldn't say I had no fun, but you know me, I can enjoy myself anywhere," Pippa responded.

Though the short amount of time she got to spend in Hecate's arms definitely couldn't have been accomplished anywhere else. Pippa thought about curling up with Hecate the night before: she had stayed by the queen's side the entire night. Hecate had complained of not being good company while in such pain, telling Pippa it didn't lend itself to sparkling conversation, but Pippa hadn't minded. She had been content just to be in Hecate's space, to slide into her bed and be held close. It must be the pain that left Hecate so unusually clingy. Hecate had settled herself in Pippa's arms and, as far as Pippa knew, stayed there until the next morning, since her head was still on Pippa's shoulder when she awoke. 

It had been hard to come back to London, Hecate's expressive eyes nearly begging her to stay as they had said goodbye with long kisses in Hecate's private quarters. Pippa could still feel the ghost of Hecate's lips against hers when she had whispered promises about seeing each other again as soon as Hecate was back at Buckingham. 

"What exactly were you doing up in Scotland, anyway?" Marigold interrupted Pippa's thoughts. "You know, you've been awfully secretive this summer, even for one of our more private clients. I'm just curious why one little girl is worth all of your time."

"Mmm," Pippa shrugged. "You know I can't talk about it. Thank you for accompanying her to her riding lesson last week, all the same. I know you've had to take on a lot of responsibility here while I've been indisposed." 

"I've been happy to," Marigold said as she started to stand. "Why don't I go make us tea and I can fill you in on everything that's been happening?"

Pippa smiled a pleased smile. "That sounds lovely."

***

"They are babying me," Hecate ground out as she pressed the telephone to her ear.

"I'm sure they're doing nothing of the kind," Pippa replied. 

Hecate huffed. The staff had been fluttering about her as she had gone from one engagement to another; as if they thought she might collapse at any moment. It was highly annoying. "I've had barely five minutes to myself all day because they think I might somehow break. It's as if I've never been thrown from a horse before."

Pippa chuckled. "Darling, you never have five minutes to yourself. And you can't blame them for being a bit extra cautious."

Hecate huffed again. Just because Pippa was right, it didn't mean she had to like it. 

"I do appreciate you using your free five minutes to ring me, though." Hecate could hear Pippa's smile through the phone. 

"Yes, well," she shuffled around even though there wasn't anyone to see her. She had just needed to hear Pippa's voice, to remind herself that what they had was real. "I… I find I miss you." Hecate hoped she didn't sound as needy as she felt. It was the pain from her damned arm. It had to be. 

"I miss you too, darling, but you'll be back in London soon enough."

Hecate just wanted to stop everything and get lost in Pippa's voice, but she had a party to attend that night and she needed to start getting ready. She thought of a future where Pippa would accompany her to such things, a bright jewel against Hecate's perpetually more somber attire, but she banished the thought as soon as it came. It was impossible. It was something she could never have. 

"I'm counting the days," Hecate confessed. There were only two more of them. Just 48 hours. "Will you be there when I get back?" Hecate wanted to take it back as soon as she said it. Just how ridiculous could Pippa inspire her to be?

"With bells on," Pippa said. 

Hecate sagged a bit in relief. "Good. Well, good." She fell silent, listening to Pippa breathe over the line. 

"You need to go, don't you?" Pippa broke the silence. 

"I do," Hecate said regretfully. 

"That's alright. Call me later tonight and let me know how the rest of your day goes," Pippa said.

"I'll try," Hecate responded. "It may be quite late." Hecate knew already that she wouldn't call so late if there was a risk of waking up Pippa. Whatever she wanted to say to Pippa could wait until the next day. 

"I won't mind," Pippa said. "And I'm going to hang up now. I'll talk to you later, darling."

Hecate managed a goodbye before Pippa hung up.

***

"And then the monster came crashing out of the woods and all of the villagers ran away." Millie finished telling the story and leaned back against the log she was using as a backrest. A fire crackled happily in front of her and her mum sat just a few feet away. She even saw one of the security officers crack a smile from where she was stationed nearby. Millie thought their presence was pointless. Who would be looking for her in the middle of the woods when no one even knew she existed? It was just adults being silly.

Her mum laughed at the ridiculous face she pulled and Millie smiled back at her. Julie scooched closer to Millie and threw an arm over her shoulders. She pulled Millie into a one-armed hug. Then her expression turned serious and Millie looked at her in question. 

"How are you doing, Millie, my love?" she asked as she rubbed Millie's arm. 

"I'm fine?" Millie answered. She was great. They were out in the woods and everything was perfect. 

"I just mean… With everything that's happened this summer. I know it's a big change." Julie sounded concerned but Millie wasn't worried. She shrugged. 

"It's been pretty weird, but I like it. Miss Pentangle is cool, and even the queen isn't so bad once you get used to her. I really like learning how to ride."

"You like getting into trouble with Maud and Enid, that's what you like," Julie said as she squeezed Millie close. "I just want to make sure that you aren't getting overwhelmed or anything. And we need to talk about what's going to happen in the autumn."

Millie furrowed her brow in question. "In the autumn? Won't I just be going back to school?"

"Well, yes," Julie started. "It's just… the queen wants to send you to boarding school and she's just about talked me around to her position."

"Like in Switzerland or something?" Millie asked suddenly concerned. 

"No," Julie laughed. "Like in Sussex. As if I'd let her send you all the way to Switzerland." Julie rolled her eyes and Millie smiled back at her. 

"I guess that would be alright," Millie responded. Maybe it would be fun. It would certainly be an adventure. "I wouldn't be able to tell anyone, would I?" 

"I'm afraid not, love. We want to keep things quiet for a few more years if we can." Julie brushed back some hair that had fallen in Millie's eyes. 

"I don't like having to lie," she said.

"I know you don't. I don't like doing it either." Julie sighed and combed her fingers through Millie's hair. "It's just for a while longer though, okay?" 

Millie nodded. "Okay."

***

Dimity wasn't the type of person to read tabloids. She wasn't. But sometimes in the checkout line, there really wasn't much else to look at. And this time there was a giant picture of one of her favorite students smack in the center of the front page. _LOST PRINCESS FOUND_ proclaimed the headline. That was more than enough for Dimity to justify buying the rag. She hurried through the checkout, gathered her things, and got everything put in her car before she sat in the driver's seat to look at the paper.

Her eyes got wider as her eyebrows shot up her forehead. Millie was some kind of princess? There was no way. There was simply no way. Dimity opened the paper only to be confronted with a picture of Mildred sandwiched between pictures of the queen and the late prince. She didn't look much like the queen, but the resemblance between Millie and Prince Æthelred was undeniable. There was something about their eyes that marked them as family. Dimity thought back to all of her interactions with Millie and with Pippa Pentangle. Just what was Miss Pentangle's relationship to Millie? Dimity had never thought to ask. 

Dimity read through the story. It was short on facts and long on speculation, quoting only, "a source familiar with the situation." Dimity didn't know whether to actually believe it or not. If it was true, surely the palace would have to release some sort of statement. If it was true… Dimity's eyes got even wider. The ‘aunt’ that Millie sometimes said gave her riding tips… Dimity's heart skipped a beat. The queen. Millie was getting riding tips from the queen. 

A car horn honked and startled Dimity out of her thoughts. She needed to be getting home. Then she needed to check the stable's insurance policy to make sure it covered teaching members of the royal family.

***

"How did they find out?" Hecate growled as she slapped the tabloid down on the desk. She winced as the movement jostled her broken arm.

"We're looking into it," Ada replied as Hecate started pacing. "The list of people who have been told directly isn't very long, but any one of the household staff could have figured out enough to source the story."

Hecate pursed her lips even more tightly. This was a disaster. No one was supposed to know. The staff was supposed to be too loyal to leak such a story. They were supposed to be able to control everything. That had been the plan. Of course, they couldn't stop it from being a substantial story, but they were supposed to be the ones telling it, not the tabloids. Hecate tried to wring her hands together, but the pain from her arm stopped her. She looked down at the splint in betrayal.

Right now only one paper had it, but that didn't matter. They couldn't simply ignore the rumor like they normally would, not when it was true. That would only make things worse when everything inevitably came out. Hecate gritted her teeth together before taking a deep breath and consciously trying to dispel some of the tension from her body. 

"We've called the media strategist?"

"Yes, ma'am." Ada closed her laptop and set it aside. 

"We need to get in touch with Ms. Hubble and have them return from their camping trip." Hecate rubbed her forehead. This was going to be bad for Mildred. This was going to be bad for all of them, but a child shouldn't have to go through the media circus that was about to descend upon them. Hecate wished there was a way to protect her.

"I've someone contacting them now. They'll be back before the end of the day," Ada said calmly. As calm as Ada was, Hecate was not and her agitation showed. Her damned arm hurt as well, a nagging presence in the back of her mind. 

"Fine. I want to see them both when they get back," Hecate nearly growled as she swept from the room, not waiting for Ada's response.

***

Millie sighed as she rolled up her sleeping bag. She should have known it was too good to be true. They weren't supposed to be heading back in for another day, but one word from the palace, relayed through the security officers, and they had to start packing up ASAP. One of the security officers was even taking the tent down for them. Her mum had gone silent ever since the message had come in and it was making Millie nervous.

"What's going on?" Millie nearly whispered, not wanting to break the hush that had fallen over the camp.

Julie sighed as she stopped packing up all of the random stuff lying about. One of the officers shot a look at Julie but didn't say anything. She paused for a long time before she answered, "It seems as though a tabloid has found out that the royal family has been keeping secrets about a certain princess."

"Oh," Millie responded. That didn't sound good. If a tabloid knew, then the whole world was going to find out, and Millie knew that everyone was trying to keep it a secret. A guilty look came over her face.

"Millie, love, what did you do?" Julie asked as she crouched down next to Millie. 

"Well," Millie cringed, "I might have told Maud and Enid, y'know, about the whole princess thing." It hadn't seemed like that big a deal at the time, and she needed to explain why the queen had known who she was. Plus, she hated having to lie to them. She wasn't very good at it. 

Julie cringed and closed her eyes. Millie could already tell that she was going to be in big trouble.

"But they wouldn't have told anyone, I swear," Millie rushed to assure her mum. Millie knew they wouldn't have. 

"I know they're your friends, but you can't know that they haven't said anything." Julie reached out and stroked Millie's head. Millie couldn't figure out why her mum wasn't yelling more. She definitely expected more yelling.

Julie sighed again. "Well, there's nothing to be done for it now. Best to get back to packing." She stood back up and motioned for Millie to finish rolling up her sleeping bag. "And Millie, you get to explain what's happened to the queen."

Right. That's why her mum hadn't yelled. There was no point when the queen was going to kill her.

***

"Hecate…" Truthfully, Pippa hadn't expected that Hecate would take her call, but she was grateful that she did. She knew she couldn't do much of anything from London, but being able to talk to Hecate made her feel productive. It irked her when she couldn't be as helpful as she wanted.

"Pippa," Hecate responded and Pippa could hear the way she relaxed slightly as she said Pippa's name. It was quite the feeling, knowing she could do that for Hecate. 

"Do you know anything yet?" Pippa asked. "How are Julie and Mildred taking it?"

"The Hubbles aren't due back for another half hour, and as far as I'm aware, we haven't discovered anything. You would have to speak to Ada for anything more specific." 

Pippa listened to the sound of Hecate's heels against the parquet as she paced. She longed to reach out to her, to offer some sort of comfort, to help her plan for the fallout, though Pippa supposed the palace's media strategist would be doing the majority of that prep work. In any event, she was too far away to do what she most wanted: to pull Hecate into her arms and tell her that everything was going to be alright.

"I've no desire to speak to Ada or distract her from her work," Pippa said. Ada didn't need that right now. 

"So you thought you'd distract me from mine?" Hecate asked, though there was no bite to her question. It made Pippa smile.

"You wouldn't have taken my call if I were truly interrupting you." Hecate had always had her priorities straight and Pippa knew where she fell amongst them, or at least she thought she did. High enough that Hecate would answer her calls, not so high as to distract from Crown business. 

"You're correct." The pacing started again. "I find I have nothing to do until Mildred and her mother return. Was there something you wished to speak with me about?"

"No, nothing specific," Pippa said. Really, she had just wanted to gauge Hecate's mood, to see how she was reacting to the leak. "I simply wanted to check on you. I know this isn't how you wanted all of this to come out."

Hecate sighed heavily. “No, it isn’t.” 

“I wish I was there, darling.” That's what it all boiled down to. Pippa wanted to be with Hecate and she wasn't, so she had called instead and hoped for the best. 

“We’ll be returning to London as soon as Mildred and Ms. Hubble arrive. The plan is to release a statement this afternoon and be back at Buckingham by tonight.” It wasn’t an overt invitation, but Pippa took it as such. She would be there waiting for Hecate when she arrived.

***

Millie hadn’t felt this nervous about entering the castle when they first arrived in Scotland. She hadn’t felt this nervous about entering Buckingham Palace since the first week after her lessons started. But now, her knees shook and her palms were sweaty. She had really, really messed up, and now she had to tell the queen about it. She didn't even get to take a shower first. It was straight to the queen's office as soon as they'd gotten back. At least the queen wasn't allowed to behead anyone anymore. Miss Pentangle had mentioned it to her when their lessons had first started, just in case Millie was worried about it. She hadn't been then. She was now.

Millie picked at some of the dirt under her fingernails as she and her mum stood outside of the queen's office. The door opened to let them in. Millie guessed it was time. Better to get it over with.

***

"We'll look into it, but it seems unlikely that the leak would have come from one of Mildred's friends," Ada said to Hecate and Julie. Mildred had been sent off to get cleaned up before the trip back to London. "The tabloids may be willing to print all sorts of things, but it seems unlikely they would be willing to take the word of a preteen as a reliable source for this type of story. Otherwise, they'd be publishing nothing but little girl's fantasies every day. No, I'm afraid we'll have to keep looking."

Hecate shifted in discomfort. Of course, it couldn't be that easy. She would have to keep looking at everyone around her with suspicion.

She hated when these things happened, when she had to be paranoid because the status quo got disrupted so badly. As if Mildred herself weren't a huge disruption. And she worried. She was quite worried about how the sudden publicity would affect Mildred. She couldn't see it being for the best. She rubbed her forehead with the hand on her uninjured arm. 

"At this point, does it really matter who leaked the story?" Julie asked. "Shouldn't we be focused on what to tell everyone?" 

"We've already drafted a statement," Ada replied as she handed a printout to Julie. Hecate stood and walked to the closest window. The Scottish countryside had always appealed to her, but today it provided no comfort. It simply looked bleak. 

"There are other practicalities to consider," Hecate said. She didn't turn away from the window. "You and Mildred will be moving into the palace now. If you, understandably, no longer wish to maintain your employment, we can arrange for a stipend." 

"Hey, now, I thought we already talked about this. Mildred and I have no intention of moving out of our flat, and I happen to quite like my job," Julie responded. 

"I'm afraid staying in your flat simply won't be possible. The security situation has changed." Hecate finally turned away from the window and looked at Julie. "You can have apartments in whichever of the royal residences you wish, but I will not see Mildred kidnapped because of your misguided notion that we are trying to take away your independence," Hecate snapped. Why couldn't Julie see that this was for the best?

Julie tossed the statement down on a nearby table. "And I'm not subjecting Millie to your 24-hour surveillance. She's just a kid."

"No, she is no longer 'just a kid,'" Hecate responded. "She has just become a public figure and as such, she has become a target. As of now, she — and you — get full-time security protection. And that is far easier to accomplish if you are living somewhere already set up to accommodate their presence." 

Julie glared. "Fine." She hauled herself to her feet. "You know what, I'm going to go take a shower. We can finish this conversation later." Without waiting for a response, she turned and left the room. 

Hecate pursed her lips and huffed. "Why can't she see reason?" she asked Ada. "I'm only trying to do what's best for Mildred." 

"I'm sure she'll understand that soon enough," Ada replied. "This has been a big change for her and it's about to get even bigger. She's probably just as frustrated as you are." 

Hecate glared at Ada but Ada was unmoved. "I want to know who leaked this story," she said. 

"We all do, ma'am," Ada replied.

***

Pippa tried not to pace through Hecate's apartments but it was incredibly difficult. She had watched the news with baited breath as the statement from the palace was read and the various talking heads debated just what it all meant, but she hadn't had the stomach to watch any of the coverage beyond those basics. Instead, she had turned the television off and tried to focus on the work she had brought with her. She was trying to use her summer with Mildred to base a curriculum for children around, but she just couldn't focus. For every useful note she made, she had to cross out three.

She wanted desperately to call Hecate again but managed to restrain herself. The butler had just informed her that Hecate was back in the city. There was no point in calling when she would be able to see Hecate within the next few minutes. 

Pippa was about to give up and start pacing anyway when she heard the doors to Hecate's apartments open and close. She stood up just as Hecate pushed into the room. 

"Pippa," Hecate sighed as she saw the other woman. She held a hand out and Pippa quickly went to take it. She pulled Hecate into her arms. 

"I've missed you," Pippa said as she cradled Hecate close. God, it felt good to have Hecate in her arms once again. It had only been a day since they had seen each other last, but with everything that had happened, it felt like a lifetime. Hecate seemed to melt into Pippa's arms. 

"Have you seen the news?" Hecate asked as she slowly pulled away. She looked weary and careworn and Pippa longed to make everything better. 

"A bit. Mostly it was fine, but I haven't gone hunting for any of the more critical reactions. I'm sure your people will be better able to analyze the coverage than I can." Pippa rubbed her thumb over Hecate's cheekbone and leaned in for the briefest of kisses. To her surprise, Hecate returned the kiss and deepened it, pulling Pippa close again. They stayed like that for a long moment, lost in the kiss, before Hecate finally pulled away. A light blush colored Hecate's cheeks. 

"I'm sorry, this isn't the time," Hecate said as she stepped back and rubbed her forehead. 

"I don't mind," Pippa responded. She didn't. She was there to provide Hecate support in whatever form she needed it, whether that was as someone to talk to or to be swept off to bed and be thoroughly distracting. The latter did seem out of character though. She smiled at Hecate. 

Hecate nodded and sat down. "I'll be speaking with Ada and the media strategist in the morning. I just wanted your opinion."

"Well, my opinion is that things are going to be overwhelming for both you and Mildred for a while, but that the new cycle is quick and everyone is going to stop talking about this soon enough. How is Mildred, by the way?" Pippa asked. She had been so focused on Hecate, she had nearly forgotten about the real object of all of this attention. 

Hecate shook her head. "I don't know. Ms. Hubble– Julie wasn't pleased when I brought up the idea of them moving into one of the royal residences. She's consented to stay the night though." 

"Let me guess, you told her she would be moving and just assumed she would accept it?" Pippa lifted Hecate's chin with her fingertips and looked down into her eyes.

"I do not understand her reluctance." Hecate pursed her lips. "It's only for the best."

Pippa knew she would get nowhere trying to present Julie's side of the argument. At least she wouldn't get anywhere that night. Hecate did have a point after all. It would be hard to keep the press at bay from Julie and Mildred's flat. "Why don't you let me talk to her?"

"If you like," Hecate responded wearily. 

"It's gotten late," Pippa said as she ran her fingers thought Hecate's hair. "Perhaps things will look better in the morning." 

Hecate looked away as she nodded. "Will you stay?" Her eyes flicked back up to Pippa's as she asked, something uncertain lurking behind them.

"I would like nothing more." Pippa smiled down at Hecate and offered her a hand up out of her chair. 

"Good," Hecate said as she nodded. She took Pippa's hand and stood.

***

Julie looked wide-eyed at the entryway to the building that held her flat. It was swarming with paparazzi. God, she was glad she hadn't brought Millie with her. Still, she needed to get inside. Hecate had, of course, offered to send someone to get more of their things for her, but Julie needed to see it for herself, needed to see the chaos Millie's father caused in their lives first hand. Now, she almost wished she had taken Hecate up on her offer.

After a conversation over breakfast that morning (and what Pippa was doing at the palace in time for breakfast Julie hadn't asked and Pippa hadn't told), Julie had come to at least be willing to consider Hecate's offer that she and Millie move into the palace. 

Julie didn't like the idea, but looking at the crowd, one that would surely turn on her as soon as they realized she was nearby, she was beginning to see the queen's point. She took a deep breath and nodded for the security officer to open her door. And wasn't that something? She couldn't even open her own car doors anymore.

Julie got out of the car and the sounds of the door closing behind her alerted the assembled less than savory members of the press that something was happening. Before she could really brace herself, they were on her, shouting questions that she could barely hear, let alone respond to. Yeah, she wasn't letting these vultures anywhere near her Millie. The security officers pushed their way through the crowd until they finally made it to the front door of her building and Julie was able to get inside.

No, even though she knew it would calm down eventually, Julie would die before she let them get within five feet of her daughter.

It looked like they were moving to the palace after all.

***

Enid squeezed her legs more firmly against her horse's side and broke into a wide smile when it picked up a trot just like it was supposed to. She had been trying to get that right for two weeks now and she finally got it!

"Good job, Enid," Miss Drill called out from where she was standing in the center of the riding ring. 

Enid was so caught up in her victory that only the loud closing of a car door caught her attention. She looked away from her horse for a moment and saw Millie jogging across the open area in front of the stables. It hadn't been that long since she had seen Millie, but that didn't matter. She stopped her horse and flew from the saddle only barely remembering to pass her reins over to Miss Drill before she ducked under the fence and flung herself into Millie's arms. Maud was right behind her. 

"Millie, we were afraid we were never going to see you again," Enid said as they all disentangled themselves. 

"Nah, I'd never let that happen," Millie said as she beamed at her friends. 

"We didn't tell anyone, we swear." Maud pushed her glasses up her nose. 

"I know," Millie replied. "I trust you guys." 

Enid's smile grew. "Does this mean we get to come back to the palace? Because I really wanna see one of those suits of armor up close again and you can only get caught by the queen so many times, right? I mean, statistically?" 

"Enid," Maud hit Enid's arm with the back of her hand before she turned back to Millie. "Is everything okay? With the papers and everything?" 

Millie's smile fell just a bit. "Yeah, no, everything is fine. Or at least my mom says they're going to lose interest soon, so it should be?" 

"Maud, Enid," Miss Drill called out. She had tied off their horses and let herself out of the riding ring. "You're here to learn how to ride, not gossip like old grannies. Back on your horses." She shooed them back toward the ring. "Millie, are you riding today?"

"Can I?" Millie asked. 

"You know where your horse is." Miss Drill said. "Someone will help you get him tacked up and then you can come join us in the ring."

"Yes, Miss Drill," Millie's bright smile returned as she ran off to get her horse.

***

"You think it was Pippa, don't you?" Hecate said as she sat in her office. She stared down at the pile of newspapers on her desk. Each had a different headline focused entirely on Mildred. Only one so far had outright used the term bastard, but that was one too many as far a Hecate was concerned. She wished she had the power to stop the stories altogether, but one of her great, great, great-grandfathers had given up that sort of control and she wouldn't waste the energy it would take to hate him for it. They had been trying to keep the worst of it away from Mildred, but she was eleven, not five, and she knew both how to read and how to turn on a tv. They couldn't keep her from seeing everything. And they still hadn't found out where the leak had come from. Ada, it seemed, already had her suspicions.

"I hate to say it, but she the only one who could have done it. She's the only person outside of the staff, Julie and Mildred, and Mildred's friends who knew and she was already back in London when the story broke." Ada didn't look happy to be voicing her opinion. 

"Yes, but why?" Hecate asked. She couldn't believe that Pippa would have done such a thing. Not after everything that had happened between them. 

"I don't know, though she did want to tell everyone sooner rather than later." Ada took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, but so did you and we aren't casting aspersions on your character," Hecate said. 

"If you honestly think I was the one who leaked Mildred's existence to the press, I'll resign right now," Ada replied as she searched Hecate's face. Hecate pursed her lips but didn't bother to respond. "It isn't that I want Miss Pentangle to be the source. Logically, there just isn't anyone else." 

Hecate sighed and rubbed her forehead. She couldn't believe Pippa would betray her like that. Not again. Again? She wasn't even sure Pippa had betrayed her the first time. Maybe the photographer that night really had been a coincidence. Maybe the story about Mildred breaking just as Pippa returned to London was a coincidence as well. But what could she believe when there were so many coincidences? Ada made a good case, and it was unlikely they would ever get a full confession out of whoever did leak the story. Could it really be Pippa? Did Hecate want to reject Ada's conclusion because it was wrong or did she simply _want_ it to be wrong? 

Hecate sighed in resignation. "She's supposed to stay for dinner after her session with Mildred ends. I'll speak with her then. But we don't tell Mildred or Julie anything unless we find out something more definite."

"Yes, ma'am." Ada didn't look happy, but then none of them had reason to smile lately.

***

“Is something wrong?” Pippa asked as she poured herself and Hecate nightcaps from a decanter in Hecate’s private sitting room. Hecate had been quiet and distant throughout dinner and all of Pippa's attempts to draw her into conversation had failed. Dinner had ended up being stilted in a way their meals had never been in the past, and Pippa didn't know what to do about it. It seemed the mood was going to persist even now that they were away from the table.

Hecate took the drink Pippa passed her and stared down into it pensively. It worried Pippa. It seemed the tabloid stories were really getting to Hecate, who shifted uncomfortably.

"There has been some speculation…" Hecate started. She set her drink aside without tasting it. "That is to say," Hecate took a deep breath and finally looked up at Pippa. "Was it you?"

Pippa looked at Hecate in confusion. What on Earth was Hecate talking about? "Was what me?"

Hecate set her jaw. "The leak. Was it you?" The words hung in the air between them. Silence dominated the room.

Pippa felt like she had been sucker punched. She reeled back as she gaped. Was that…? Did Hecate really think that she would… Betrayal bloomed dark and sick in her stomach. "How can you even…" She put her glass down hard on the sideboard as she stared in disbelief. 

"Was it you?" Hecate asked again, her eyes harder, sharper now. 

Pippa narrowed her own eyes in response. "Do you really trust me so little?" Pippa couldn't believe it. She thought they had put Hecate's suspicions behind them, but apparently, that wasn't the case. Her disbelief turned to anger and it suffused her veins. "Is that what you really think of me? That I would put Mildred, or any little girl, through hell? For what? How do I stand to gain from this?" Pippa thought her questions were reasonable even if her tone wasn't. She and Hecate still hadn't really talked about the nature of their relationship, but Pippa had been sure Hecate thought more of her than that – she would never do any harm to Mildred.

"Why won't you deny it?" Hecate pled. Anger brought color to her cheeks, and she was breathing heavily as she clenched her fists. 

"Because I shouldn't have to!" Pippa shot back. She shouldn't. Hecate shouldn't even be asking it of her. They were supposed to be beyond this, but apparently, they weren't. "Why can't you trust me? Is this about what happened when we were in university?" 

"No," Hecate replied, but not convincingly. "This is about now, this is about Mildred Hubble." But Hecate had a hard time meeting Pippa's eyes. 

"I don't believe you," Pippa said. "I think you're still hung up on _something I didn't do_." Pippa crossed her arms over her chest. She shook her head. "But nothing I say will possibly get through to you because you still won't trust me, will you?" It was a revelation and not a pleasant one. She had been deluding herself, letting her love for Hecate blind her. 

"Pippa…" Hecate softened just a bit. "That isn't…"

"No. I don't want to hear it." Pippa stepped into the center of the room as angry tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. "I loved you." Her voice cracked. "We were practically teenagers, but I knew I loved you. And I still love you. Maybe I always will," Pippa paused. "But I don't need this and I won't accept it. If you can't trust me, then we have _nothing_." Pain joined the anger in Pippa's eyes.

Hecate started to speak but Pippa wouldn't let her.

"Goodbye, Hecate." She shook her head. "I won't be coming back." With anger powering her steps, Pippa pushed past Hecate and out of the sitting room. She needed to get home. As soon as her anger cooled, she knew she was going to fall apart. She needed to get home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I KNOW, OKAY? IT HURTS ME TOO!
> 
> Whenever I get discouraged writing this, I go back and read the comments you guys have left and I'm inspired to keep working.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hecate suffers the repercussions of her actions, but everything works out in the end.
> 
> ***
> 
> Hecate stood to go after Pippa but she brought herself up short. There wasn't anything she could say that would change Pippa's mind. Pippa had been right. Hecate never should have asked her if she had betrayed Mildred. She should have known that Pippa would never do something like that. Still, it had seemed necessary. Hecate couldn't allow just anyone into her or Mildred's inner circle. She had to be certain. 
> 
> Hecate sighed, her hand falling to the brandy Pippa had poured her. She picked it up and took a sip but then set it aside. Drinking wasn't going to help and it tasted sour on her tongue. Hecate rubbed her forehead. There was nothing for her to do about it now, and she had plenty of work she could be doing. She already knew sleep would be hard to come by that night. She had planned on having Pippa's comforting presence next to her, now that wouldn't happen. It would never happen again. Hecate's entire body sagged. 
> 
> Work. She had work to do. Anything else could wait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my God it's the last chapter (except for the epilogue). I can't believe it's finished!!!!!!!!!!!! My beta hasn't had a chance to look at it because I'm too anxious to post it, so any mistakes are my own. I love, love, love this universe and I love everyone who's come along with me on this journey. Thank you so much and enjoy!!!!!!!

Hecate stood to go after Pippa but she brought herself up short. There wasn't anything she could say that would change Pippa's mind. Pippa had been right. Hecate never should have asked her if she had betrayed Mildred. She should have known that Pippa would never do something like that. Still, it had seemed necessary. Hecate couldn't allow just anyone into her or Mildred's inner circle. She had to be certain. 

Hecate sighed, her hand falling to the brandy Pippa had poured her. She picked it up and took a sip but then set it aside. Drinking wasn't going to help and it tasted sour on her tongue. Hecate rubbed her forehead. There was nothing for her to do about it now, and she had plenty of work she could be doing. She already knew sleep would be hard to come by that night. She had planned on having Pippa's comforting presence next to her, now that wouldn't happen. It would never happen again. Hecate's entire body sagged. 

Work. She had work to do. Anything else could wait.

***

Millie stepped into the sitting room and looked around. The gold leaf and fine furniture no longer intimidated her. It was to be the last of her weekly teas with the queen before school started. She still wasn't exactly sure where she would be going to school, and she was trying not to worry about it too much. It was hard though. She was still standing when the queen entered the room. It was nothing now to drop into an appropriate curtsy. Her ankles no longer wobbled even though she was wearing the low heels Miss Pentangle had bought her. She frowned slightly thinking about Miss Pentangle and her absence.

"Your majesty," Millie said as Hecate walked over. The queen paused before she sat down. 

"I think," the queen started, "that you might start calling me Aunt Hecate in private. If you wish. And we might do away with the curtsies. Again, only in private."

Millie's eyes went wide. She hadn't known either of those things were even an option. Still, it took her no time to realize the honor that was being extended to her. As far as she knew, only Miss Pentangle had ever called the queen, Aunt Hecate, by her first name. A smile broke over her face. "Cool," she said before she corrected herself. "I mean, I'd like that, ma'am."

Hecate nodded. A staff member poured tea for them, and after adding milk and sugar, Millie picked up her cup, proud when her hand stayed steady. She didn't feel like she was going to drop the cup into Aunt Hecate's hand again anytime soon. Maybe her summer lessons were finally paying off. 

"Good," Aunt Hecate shifted in her seat and took a sip of her tea. "I also… I also want you to know that you shouldn't take what they're saying in the press too seriously. I wish I could tell you that they will forget about you, but they won't. They will be a part of your life from now on, and anything you do in public is fair game to them. I wish it weren't the case. They will, however, get bored fairly quickly as long as you do nothing to provoke them." 

Millie looked at the queen with questions written on her face. "They're really never going away?" She had had her name shouted at her more times over the past few days than she could ever recall and she had barely gone outside at all. She had seen her face on the front page of more newspapers and magazines than she had even known existed. It was intimidating. 

"Unfortunately not," Aunt Hecate said, though not unkindly. "But both your mother and I are here if you need anything. I dare say I have some experience with handling the press if ever you need advice. Though you shouldn't have much call to interact with them for quite some time." 

Millie took a sip of her tea and looked thoughtful. "What happens now?" 

"Now, we hope the press becomes interested in some other story where you can focus on getting ready to go back to school. Also, I don't know that you've noticed, though I dare say you would eventually, we are officially referring to as Princess Mildred. Do not let it go to your head." the queen turned stern again as she cautioned Millie. 

"Yes, ma'am," Millie answered though she couldn't keep the smile from her face. She was really, officially a princess. 

"Now, why don't you tell me how your riding lessons are going?" Aunt Hecate prompted as she sat back and waited for Millie to pick up the conversation.

***

Pippa stared at her computer screen and sighed. It was hard to concentrate. All she could think about was Hecate and Mildred and being confronted with pictures of both of them everywhere she went wasn't helping. Even The Guardian had run a picture of Mildred on their front page. Pippa had avoided the opinions section altogether. The tabloids had already moved on to other children claiming to be the prince's progeny, though Pippa doubted that any of them could corroborate their claims. Pippa couldn't help but think she was supposed to be there, with Hecate and Mildred and Julie helping them through the craziness. Instead, she was stuck in her office, still trying to design a course for children and still having to erase most of her work.

"I still can't believe you were working for the palace all summer and didn't tell me," Marigold said as she brought Pippa a cup of coffee. Pippa took it gratefully. 

"I still can't tell you," Pippa replied. "I continue to be bound by the NDA I signed. No one knows I was involved, and I plan on keeping it that way." It didn't matter what Hecate believed, Pippa wouldn't do anything else to make her think her allegations were in any way founded.

"Yes, but think of the publicity. You'd be swimming in clients." Marigold propped her hip on the edge of Pippa's desk and sipped her own coffee. 

"I already have more than enough on my plate as it is. And it would ruin my reputation." If it got out that she had been tutoring Mildred despite the NDA, none of her clients would be able to trust her. She was determined that wouldn't happen. "No, as far as we're concerned, I've spent the summer on an extended holiday." It stretched the bounds of credulity, but then no one would really be asking about her summer anyway.

"Whatever you say, boss," Marigold said as she stood up. "I have some phone calls to return, so I'll leave you to it."

Pippa gave Marigold a half-hearted smile as she turned back to her computer screen.

***

"If Millie's going to be spending the next five years somewhere, I'm going to see it first," Julie crossed her arms and looked between Ada and Hecate. God, everything she had determined she wasn't going to do at the beginning of the summer was coming to pass.

"But you're willing to consider the school?" Ada asked. 

"On the condition that if Millie hates it, we'll pull her out and find someplace local for her to go." First boarding school, then moving into the palace. At least they hadn't brought up her resigning from her job again. If she did that, what was she supposed to do with herself while Millie was in school? She wouldn't sit around all day answering Millie's fan mail. 

"That is acceptable," Hecate said, pulled from her reverie. Julie sighed. Hecate knew when she had won an argument and she had already won this one.

"And how are you liking your apartments?" Ada asked. 

"We're still getting used to them. I think Millie misses Jake more than anything else."

"Jake?" Ada looked baffled. 

"The neighbor's bulldog. She used to walk him sometimes." Julie rubbed her forehead. There were just so many changes to cope with. She didn't think she could deal with anymore. "You know, I've just noticed, but is there a reason Pippa isn't with us today?"

A look passed between Hecate and Ada and Julie didn't like the feel of it. Hecate's head twitched a little as if she were giving Ada permission to do something. 

"We haven't any hard evidence, but we believe Pippa may have been the person who leaked Millie's existence to the press," Ada said cautiously. 

"Pippa? There's no way." Julie was incredulous. Of all the people Julie would point a finger at, Pippa wasn't on the list. She cared for Millie too much. Hell, she probably cared for Hecate too much, from what little Julie had seen of what was obviously some sort of romantic relationship (and hadn't that been a surprise? The queen, a lesbian). Julie noticed that Hecate was refusing to meet her eyes. 

"I'm sorry to be the bearer of such unpleasant news but I'm afraid so." Ada shook her head regretfully. 

Julie pursed her lips. "Well, I don't believe it, but I supposed there's nothing I can do about it, is there?" She would have to call Pippa later and see if she would tell her what had actually happened. Even if Pippa was the leak, there would be more to the story than what Ada and the queen were saying. 

"No," Ada said. "Even just the suspicion. We can't take any chances." 

Julie looked between them again. If Ada looked unhappy, Hecate looked positively mournful, though Julie was sure she wouldn't have picked up on it if she hadn't spent the summer interacting with the other woman. There was just something off about the set of her shoulders. "I still don't believe it, but…" Julie shrugged. Further protestations wouldn't get any of them anywhere and there were still details to be ironed out about Millie's schooling.

***

Dimity ignored the sound of the car pulling up behind her. The girls' lesson was almost over for the day and it was likely just one of their parents there to pick them up. She kept her eyes on the girls and their horses. She didn't hear the car door close, but she did hear the sound of boot steps crunching through the gravel behind her.

"That's it, girls," she encouraged Maud, Enid, Mildred, and Felicity as they circled around her at a trot. She was trying to teach them about being on the correct lead, but so far they hadn't quite gotten it down. Still, they were trying their hardest and that was all Dimity asked. She couldn't fail to notice the way Mildred's eyes lit up when she saw whoever was standing behind her, but Mildred kept her focus. Maybe Mildred's mother had come to watch the end of the lesson. Dimity had only met her once, but she seemed supportive of Mildred. "Alright, girls, walk once in each direction around the ring and then we'll call it a day," Dimity called out. 

"Ahem," the polite interjection was just loud enough for Dimity to hear over the sound of the horses and she turned around. Then she froze. Standing just on the other side of the ring was a man she had never seen before and the queen. The bloody, fucking queen. Her eyes went wide. Oh no. No. This was not good. She was in mud covered boots and dirty riding pants and she was about to meet the queen. She was not prepared. 

As if by their own volition, Dimity's feet carried her forward. She stepped out of the riding ring. "May I…?" How did someone start a conversation with the queen?"

"Your majesty," the man took over, "may I present to you, Miss Dimity Drill?"

"Thank you," the queen said to him. "Miss Drill," she offered Dimity her hand. Dimity tried to subtly wipe who knows what off of it before she took the queen's. It was only then that she realized she needed to curtsy. Years spent perfecting her balance stopped her from ending up in the dirt but it was a near thing. 

"Your majesty," Dimity managed to get out. "How can I help you?"

The queen raised an eyebrow. "I simply wanted to meet the person who has been teaching Mildred to ride. I'm sure you're aware that I have an interest in the subject." 

An interest in the subject was a massive understatement. Everyone knew that the queen was a skilled rider, that she took a large amount of pride in her extensive stables, that she owned horses that regularly won international races. And she was standing in the middle of Dimity's riding school. Dimity was not ready. 

"Ah, Mildred," the queen said as Dimity felt movement at her back. She half turned to see Mildred standing next to her horse just behind her. "Your trot has improved. It seems you did not see fit to inform Miss Drill that I would be visiting today."

Mildred had a cheeky grin on her face. "Oops?" she said as she led her horse from the ring. Hecate held out a hand and Mildred passed over her reins. Hecate guided the horse to where she wanted him and looked him over. 

"Oops is not an appropriate response," Hecate chided but her focus was still on the horse. She ran a hand down his neck and over his shoulder. 

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Mildred said. It got her a look from the queen that said they would be speaking about it later but there was also the faintest smile on the queen's lips. Mildred turned to Dimity. "I'm sorry Miss Drill."

"That's quite alright, Mildred," Dimity said. She had a feeling she'd just had a trick pulled on her, but she was still too overwhelmed to be cross about it. 

"Mmm," the queen responded and Dimity almost felt bad for the talking to it seemed like Mildred was about to receive. "I believe you need to see to your horse." The queen passed Mildred's reins back to her. 

Mildred took them and uttered a "yes, ma'am," before she led her horse off. The other girls, after quick curtsies, followed Mildred off to the stables and left Dimity alone with the queen. 

Dimity swallowed nervously as all of the queen's considerable attention was now focused on her. She took a measuring look at Dimity. "I know nothing about teaching children to ride, but you seem to be doing an adequate job. Mildred speaks highly of you and I've seen the progress she's made over the summer."

"Thank you, ma'am," Dimity replied. She had a feeling 'adequate' was high praise coming from the queen. A blush colored her cheeks.

"Why don't you show me around while we wait for Mildred to finish untacking her horse?" The queen looked around the stable yard from the ring to the pastures to the stable itself. Despite not having time to prepare for a royal inspection, Dimity hoped the queen didn't find it lacking. 

"Of course, ma'am. What would you like to see first?"

***

"Did you see the way Miss Drill nearly fell over?" Enid crowed as she flung herself on Millie's bed. She and Maud were supposed to be helping Millie pack for school but as everything was still basically packed from the move to the palace, there wasn't much for them to do.

"Did you really just forget to tell her that the queen was coming to visit?" Maud asked. 

Millie smiled mischievously, "Nah, it was just a little prank. Aunt Hecate wasn't even that upset about it after we left. She just told me not to do it again."

"Since when is she Aunt Hecate?" Enid asked. 

Millie shrugged. "She said I could call her that. It's weird but I'm practicing." Thinking of the queen as 'Aunt Hecate' really was helping. She never would have pulled that prank on Miss Drill if the queen was still just 'The Queen' but she had and she hadn't even really gotten in trouble for it. If anything, it had looked as if Aunt Hecate had wanted to laugh as well. 

Then for some reason, she had gotten quiet and looked sad. Millie didn't know what had brought on the change and she didn't feel like she could ask, though perhaps it had something to do with Miss Pentangle ending their lessons a week early. Millie missed Miss Pentangle. Her mother had tried to explain what had happened, but Millie hadn't really understood. She didn't know how anyone could think that Miss Pentangle would do something so bad. 

"It's so weird that you're actually a princess," Enid said. "You don't act like one."

"How do you know what a princess acts like?" Maud asked. 

"I dunno. I just do."

"I don't know that I'm much of a princess. At least not yet." Millie pulled her pillow onto her lap. 

"Well, don't get all snobby while you're off at school." Enid lightly shoved Millie's shoulder. 

"I'm going to miss you guys while I'm gone," Millie quirked her lips. The thought of boarding school excited her, but she didn't like the idea of not seeing Maud and Enid for months. 

"Well, that's what telephones are for, right?" Maud said.

"Right." Millie nodded decisively. It was just a few months and then it would be Christmas break and she could see them again.

***

_Some weeks later_

Pippa sighed into the telephone as she watched a news report come on the television. 

"Let me guess, Hecate's done something newsworthy again," Julie said. Pippa turned off the television, making Hecate's face disappear. She didn't know why she tortured herself like she did but she couldn't seem to stop. 

"Oh Julie," Pippa sighed again. "I can't seem to help it." She flopped into a chair and lolled her head back. "I just… every time I see her…"

"You know, you're going to have to move on eventually." 

Pippa knew that. She knew she was being ridiculous. She couldn't help that she was still in love with Hecate. Of course, she when she thought about that, she was quickly reminded of how angry she still was. That anger was cooling though, replaced by something more melancholy. 

"I know. I'm just not ready yet," Pippa replied. She took a deep breath. "But enough about that. Tell me how Mildred's doing?" At times like these, it was better to just change the subject and she did want to make sure Mildred was doing okay. She knew a new school, particularly one far from home, would be a big change. 

"Oh, Millie's having the time of her life," Julie chuckled. "All ready getting into trouble, but nothing serious. And they don't seem to be too intimidated by the princess thing to call her on the carpet when she needs it, so I'm pleased." 

"Excellent. I had a feeling she would get on well there." Pippa sat up straight in her chair. She needed to stop moping. "And what about you? How are you coping?" 

"Oh, I'm coping well enough. Work keeps me busy. You know how it is," Julie replied as they settled into their conversation.

***

“Hecate, are you listening to me?” Ada asked.

“Of course I am,” Hecate snapped but truthfully she hadn’t been. Her thoughts had been where they had always been of late: on Pippa. It seemed like every day since they had last spoken, Hecate thought of her a little more. She managed an interested look in public, carrying out her official commitments with the same professionalism she always had, but in private she had become listless and short-tempered. She realized she was doing it. She simply didn't know how to stop. Or perhaps she didn't want to. It was good that Mildred was at school. She probably would have taken the poor girl's head off over something trivial. 

Hecate sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I'm sorry Ada, what were you saying?"

"I'm simply confirming your plans to attend the FEI Games. You do still want to attend, don't you?" Ada looked at Hecate curiously. Hecate didn't pay Ada to deal with her bad moods and she was only doing her job. 

"Yes, yes I do." Maybe a day watching the horses and riders compete would do her some good. It was a chance to spend some time outside, to do something she enjoyed, and the damned splint would be off of her arm by then. She looked down at her broken arm. It was finally feeling better and for that she was grateful. 

"Good," Ada replied. "I'd hate to have to cancel because you're experiencing a fit of pique." She gave Hecate a significant look. Hecate winced then pursed her lips. 

"I suppose that was warranted," she said. "Still, I think we're finished for the day." Hecate stood up and walked over to the window. She could almost see Pippa out on the lawn with Mildred and Julie kicking around a football and she missed it. She had been alone for most of her adult life but never before had she felt quite so lonely.

***

Pippa had just finished imputing a new client's information into her computer when she heard Marigold's personal mobile phone ring. If she had been asked later, she wouldn't be able to pinpoint exactly why, but something about the way Marigold answered the phone caught her attention. It was quieter than usual and Marigold wasn't exactly known for circumspection. Still, as a rule, Pippa tried not to eavesdrop.

"No, she's been taking lessons all summer," Marigold hissed. Pippa furrowed her brow. She only knew one person who had spent the summer in lessons, but maybe Marigold was talking about someone else. 

"Because I work for the woman who was teaching her." 

No. It couldn't be. Had Marigold really just… Pippa couldn't believe it. She stood and walked out of her office. Marigold's back was turned to her. 

"I can get you proof. I have access to the banking records." 

"Marigold," Pippa said softly but with steel in her voice. She still couldn't believe it. How could Marigold betray her like this?

Marigold flew around in her chair, her eyes wide as she hastily hung up her phone. "Pippa!" She put on a false smile. "I thought you were at lunch."

"Yes, obviously. Otherwise, you wouldn't be talking to a tabloid about my banking records in the middle of the day." Pippa's lips thinned to a line. All of these problems because of her employee. It really was her fault. And now everything was ruined. She and Hecate… Pippa banished that thought. It was too late now. 

"I can explain," Marigold tried to defend herself but Pippa was having none of it. 

"You're the one who told them about Mildred, aren't you?" Pippa glared at the other woman. Her cheeks heated with anger. 

"Only because after the queen fell off of her horse, I thought the people had a right to know who the next in line actually was." Marigold justified herself as best she could. 

Pippa's face remained stony. "That's no excuse. You betrayed me and you betrayed one of our clients. You're fired. And if I find out that you've spoken to any more tabloids, I'll take legal action. Pack your things and get out." 

Pippa didn't bother to wait for a response. She walked back into her office and closed the door forcefully behind herself. She needed to call Ada.

***

“Miss Pentangle on the telephone for you,” Ada’s secretary called through the intercom.

“Thank you,” Ada replied before she picked up her phone. “Pippa, what can I do for you?” She hadn’t really expected to hear from Pippa again but perhaps there were some last details about her employment they needed to clear up. 

“Ada, I thought you should know I found your leak.”

“Oh?” Ada answered skeptically. It got her attention though. She had been convinced it was Pippa. Was Pippa just trying to deflect suspicion from herself?

“Yes. It turns out it was my assistant, Marigold Mould. She must have overheard something, and if I was in some way indiscreet around her, I apologize. She’s been terminated.” 

“Ah, well, thank you for letting me know.” Ada wrote the name down but she wasn’t entirely convinced. She would have to have someone look into it. 

“Ada, if you could tell Hecate…” the pause stretched for a long time. “Never mind. Don’t… I just wanted you to know. I’ll go now.” 

Ada didn’t get a chance to respond before Pippa hung up.

***

Pippa walked into the venue where the pre-competition party was being held and looked around. There were several people that she knew but no one that she particularly felt like talking to. Oh, she would speak with them eventually, it was only polite after all, but she had time to get her bearings first. The passing glasses of champagne were calling her name. She plucked one off of a tray and took a sip.

She had just approached Bartholomew Bones, a bore but generally harmless member of her social circle when she heard the commotion behind her. She turned to look and caught her breath. Hecate. Pippa hadn't heard anything about the queen attending the event, but apparently, her sources weren't as reliable as she thought they were. Her stomach sank to her knees and a lump formed in her throat. God, seeing Hecate again up close was painful and that pain only reminded her of her anger. How could Hecate…? This wasn't the place. She would just have to avoid Hecate as best she could for the night. It shouldn't be too difficult. Hecate did create quite the buzz wherever she went. Still, Pippa downed her glass of champagne and reached for a second. 

"Quite the honor, isn't it?" Bartholomew said from somewhere just off of Pippa's elbow. 

"Hmmm?" Pippa replied. 

"Being at a party with the queen." He followed Hecate with his eyes as she moved through the room. 

"Oh, certainly." Pippa tried to give him all of her attention but it was difficult. 

"I think I've managed to wrangle an introduction. If you stick close, you might get one as well." He looked quite pleased with himself. 

"Thank you for the offer, but I believe I'll–" Bartholomew's eyes went wide and Pippa knew that she had waited too late to excuse herself. She turned only to be confronted by Hecate only a few feet away. To leave now would be a terrible insult, and as tempted at Pippa was, she wouldn't risk the gossip. 

"Mr. Bartholomew Bones, Your Majesty," Hecate's staff member introduced him. Bartholomew bowed. "And Miss Pippa Pentangle."

Pippa's curtsey wasn't quite as low as usual but she doubted anyone but Hecate would notice and Hecate was the intended audience after all. 

"Mr. Bones," Hecate said and offered her hand to him. Bartholomew shook it as politely as he could, only slightly over-eager. "Miss Pen–" Hecate swallowed, "Miss Pentangle." No hand was forthcoming though and Pippa silently thanked Hecate for it. She didn't know what she would do if she had to touch Hecate so impersonally, so publically. 

"Mr. Bones, I hear you're doing good work with the Children's Action Network." Hecate kept her eyes on Pippa a moment longer than was necessary before she looked at Bartholomew. Pippa didn't know what was behind the look. 

"Yes, ma'am, I like to think so," he said before he launched into a conversation about the charity's work. Hecate looked politely interested but Pippa could tell she was bored. Bartholomew had never been the most sparkling conversationalist; he tended to drone. But for now, both Pippa and Hecate were stuck. Eventually, though, Hecate had to cut in. 

"Mr. Bones, I would like to speak with Miss Pentangle alone." Hecate looked over at Pippa as Pippa tried to hide her surprise. What did Hecate want with her now?

"Of course, ma'am," Bartholomew said as he withdrew. Hecate waved off her staff member as well. Pippa and Hecate were as alone as they could be in the middle of a party. 

"Pippa," Hecate started but then she looked away. 

"Your Majesty," Pippa replied coolly. If Hecate thought she would get more than that, if she thought they might re-establish some sort of camaraderie, she was sorely mistaken. 

Hecate flinched slightly and straightened her posture. "I simply wanted to say that Ada told me about your staff member being the leak and I wanted to thank you for providing us with that information."

Pippa narrowed her eyes. "I didn't do it for you." Her voice was hard with sudden, barely contained anger. She fought to keep her expression neutral. "And it changes nothing."

"Of course." If Hecate sounded somewhat pained, Pippa ignored it. God Hecate was bad at hiding her emotions once you knew how to look for them. Pippa knew this was likely the only olive branch she would receive, but she was in no mood to take it. As long as Hecate didn't trust her, nothing could happen between them. 

"That was all I had to say." 

"Then we should go our separate ways." Pippa took a step backward before she turned her back on the queen and walked away.

***

"So, I heard from Millie today," Julie said. She and Hecate were having dinner together as they now did sometimes. Julie wasn't exactly sure when they had started, but it was a pleasant enough way to spend an evening.

"Oh?" Hecate answered politely. 

"She's doing well. She still likes the school and she seems to have made some friends." Their talk, in fact, had been cut short because Millie wanted to run off with those friends and do who knows what. 

"Good for her," Hecate replied almost sarcastically. Julie was taken aback. Normally Hecate wasn't quite so acidic. "I'm glad she's using her expensive education to _make friends_. Is she getting any actual studying done? You're sure she's bothering to attend her classes?"

Julie looked at Hecate in shock. "What's wrong with you tonight? And you're the one who insisted on that 'expensive education.'" Julie asked. 

"Nothing is wrong with me. I simply want to ensure that Mildred is spending her time learning and not off with some miscreants." 

"No. You've been in a bad mood all week and I let you be because you've gone through a lot lately, but I'm not letting you take it out on me or Millie." Julie put down her fork and knife and put her hands flat on the table. 

"I haven't any idea what you're talking about. I haven't been through anything lately," Hecate insisted.

"You think the press frenzy was nothing? You think _Pippa_ was nothing? No wonder you broke up."

"We did no such thing."

Julie shook her head. "You can lie to the rest of the country, but I would appreciate it if you didn't lie to me. Anyone who saw the two of you together six weeks ago could tell that you were in love with her. And anyone who's seen you lately can tell you still are."

Hecate pursed her lips and pushed away from the table. Before she could say or do anything Julie continued. "You either need to get over her or you need to do something about it."

"And what, pray tell, am I supposed to do about it? She's been quite clear that she wants nothing to do with me." Hecate stood and walked away from the table. 

Julie sighed and deflated a bit. "I don't know. You need some sort of grand gesture."

"I can't exactly declare my love for her in front the entire country." Hecate winced. Clearly, she hadn't meant to reveal that she loved Pippa despite how obvious it was. 

"Why not?"

Hecate leveled a look at Julie. "You know why not."

"Yes, because you're a coward. God, Millie has more courage than you and she's eleven years old. If she can stand up to the press, you should certainly be able to." Julie shook her head and looked at Hecate sympathetically. "Whatever you decide to do, you'd better do it soon. Pippa won't wait forever." Julie folded her napkin and stood. "At least think about it. You'd be the most visible lesbian in the world. You could do some good." She put her hand on Hecate's forearm and squeezed it as she passed then exited the room.

***

Hecate took a deep breath after Julie left the room. She sat back down, though her meal no longer looked appetizing. Julie was right. She was still in love with Pippa. She had, perhaps, been in love with Pippa since they had first met. So why couldn't they make it work? It was her fault. Both times, it was her fault. She had been so concerned with what everyone would say when she was in university. The tabloid story had just been an excuse. She could see that now. And Pippa had been right. She never should have questioned her loyalty. She knew Pippa hadn't leaked the story. But would some sort of grand gesture really fix everything? Hecate didn't think it would be so simple.

She also thought about the rest of Julie's suggestion. Was she being a coward? She had been in the closet for so long she couldn't imagine what it would be like to be out, to be free. Or at least to be somewhat more free. The trappings of her responsibilities would always be there. But Julie was also right about this: she would be incredibly visible. She could do some good by coming out. And maybe somehow it would win back Pippa's affections. At least it gave her some hope. 

Hecate sighed and stood again. She needed to call Ada and get the process started before she had a chance to change her mind.

***

"You're certain about this?" Ada asked.

"Not at all," Hecate replied. 

"But you're going to do it anyway." It was a statement, not a question. 

"Yes."

***

Hecate took a deep breath and stared at the door in front of her. She so rarely left the palace with such a small entourage: just her driver and a couple of security officers. It was surreal. She placed her hand flat on the door. As soon as she knocked, things would change. She wouldn't be able to stop the events of later in the week, she wouldn't be able to hang onto the fantasy that Pippa would take her back. She bowed her head and whispered a quick prayer then she lifted her hand and knocked.

"Coming," she heard Pippa voice through the door. It was opening before Hecate was ready. Pippa blinked. "Hecate." She had her arms crossed over her stomach. Her pajamas reminded Hecate too much of the past. 

"May I come in?" Hecate asked. She wasn't used to asking for things but she would do that and more for Pippa. 

Pippa stepped back to allow Hecate in but one of her security officers stopped her. He stepped into Pippa's home and did a quick sweep before he nodded. As soon as he did, Hecate followed him inside. He exited the house and Pippa closed the door after him. 

"What are you doing here?" Pippa asked as soon as they were alone. 

"I wanted to see you. I wanted to apologize." Hecate swallowed against the lump in her throat. She hadn't expected this to be quite so hard. 

"Well then apologize." Pippa moved away from the door and gave Hecate her attention.

"Pippa, you were right. I never should have questioned you. I'm sorry that I did." Hecate looked away then back at Pippa. She hoped Pippa would accept her apology, that it might mend things between them.

"Thank you," Pippa replied but she remained cool. "Was there anything else?"

"No." Hecate looked like she was about to say something else though. She briefly closed her eyes. "Yes. I just… I wanted you to know that I'm doing an interview next Thursday. I… well…I'm going to tell everyone. That is, I'm going to tell everyone that I'm a lesbian. There's a chance that the press may pull up that photo of us from university. I wanted you to be prepared." And she had just wanted to see Pippa again. She couldn't admit to that though. If this was the last time she got to be alone with Pippa, she wanted to savor it. 

Pippa nodded. "Fine. Do you need anything else?"

"I need… I need to tell you that I love you. I know it doesn't change…" Hecate shifted around uncomfortably. "And I need to ask if you think there any possibility of us–" 

"Hecate, you can't just show up here and expect to be welcomed with open arms. It doesn't work that way," Pippa shook her head. She looked sad but it wasn't Hecate's place anymore to comfort her. 

Hecate nodded. "Of course. I'll just be going then." She wrung her hands together as she looked at Pippa with wide eyes. 

"I think that's for the best." Pippa moved back to the door and opened it. 

Hecate took a deep breath and nodded. She wouldn't cry. Not here. Not in front of Pippa. She turned toward the door and left.

***

Pippa leaned back against the door after she closed it. Had she done the right thing by sending Hecate away? She wasn't sure. Yes, she still loved her, but that didn't mean they could be together, not if Hecate pushed her away at the slightest sign of trouble. Pippa rubbed her forehead. She wondered what Hecate coming out had to do with any of it. Surely she wasn't doing it just for Pippa. That would be absurd.

Pippa pushed off from the door and walked back into her living room. Hecate had finally told Pippa that she loved her. Of course it would come now when Pippa couldn't return the declaration. She needed a drink and time to think. If she wanted Hecate back, truly wanted her, it seemed like she had the opportunity. She couldn't take it though, could she? What was to say the same thing wouldn't happen again and they would be back where they started? Wasn't that a risk in every relationship though? The risk that things would go badly, that something would happen that would make the relationship untenable? She supposed that was true. 

Pippa poured herself a glass of whiskey. Maybe something mindless on the television would help. She sank into her favorite chair and pulled her legs up under her. The distraction was just what she needed.

***

Hecate refused to pace. She very carefully held herself in one place as she watched a palace spokesperson on the television announce that she was a lesbian. Ada stood to one side and Julie on the other. Julie rested her hand on Hecate's upper arm and rubbed it lightly.

Hecate had a television interview scheduled for that night. The BBC had been running ads for it all week, and Hecate had to admit, at least to herself, that she was nervous. Her nerves had been building ever since she had decided to make the announcement and now that the time was actually here, her stomach was in knots. She wasn't really paying attention to what the spokesperson was saying. They had crafted and honed the message for so long she could recite it in her sleep, but she knew the moment he said the words because of the flurry of activity in the press room. Hands shot up as reporters hoped to be called on to ask their questions. 

Hecate sighed, though only partially in relief that it was over. The rest of her was still tense and would be until the interview was over. Still, it was out there now. There was no way to take it back. She felt lighter for it. She hoped by doing the interview the press' fervor would be short-lived. It had been a long summer and it was shaping up to be a long autumn. She just wanted a rest. Perhaps winter would be more kind. 

Hecate tuned back into the press conference. The reporters were still asking questions but she had no interest in hearing them. She had an interview to get ready for. She placed her hand over Julie's and gave it a quick squeeze in thanks. 

"Well, I don't think I need to see anymore. There are other things that require my attention." She stepped back from between Julie and Ada, then turned toward the door.

***

Thomas ran through every breathing exercise he knew. He was sitting in Buckingham Palace getting his hair and makeup done before he got to conduct a very, very rare interview with the queen! And she had apparently asked for him to do the interview by name! He wondered if she watched his show or if the suggestion came from her press office. There was no way to know. What he did know was that this interview could make his career. And on the heels of such big news! He had been told earlier in the week why she was suddenly granting an interview and he had prepared his questions accordingly, but he still hadn't entirely believed it was going to happen.

His makeup artist patted him on the shoulder and wished him good luck signaling she was done with him. He got up from her chair and took the few steps onto the set they had put together in one of the palace sitting rooms. He was just getting settled when the queen swept in with a flock of people surrounding her. He dropped his hands from his pockets and bowed appropriately. The queen offered him her hand. 

"Mr. Swisher, it's good to meet you," the queen said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," he replied. What else could he say really? Congrats on coming out? Helluva bombshell you just dropped? No, better to stick with the formalities. "If you'll just have a seat," he motioned to the chair behind her. "I believe we're starting in just a few minutes." 

The queen smiled a pained smile but said nothing as she took the seat indicated. Thomas tried to engage her in some idle chit-chat to get her to loosen up and it seemed to work. Her shoulders dropped just a bit and he thought he saw a hint of an actual smile. Then suddenly he was being counted down. A second later, the cameras were live. 

"Hello and welcome to…" He didn't have time to think anymore. It was time to do his job.

***

Pippa wasn't going to watch the interview. She had seen the news coverage of the press conference earlier in the night and there was no need to subject herself to 45 minutes of Hecate being as charming as she could be. Most people wouldn't call the queen charming, but Pippa knew better. It would be too much for Pippa's fragile heart. Instead, she was going to watch a rerun of The Great British Bake Off she had recorded. She made herself a cup of tea and grabbed her favorite blanket. A couple of button presses later and she had successfully avoided any notice of Hecate or the interview.

Pippa barely got through 20 minutes of the episode before she couldn't stand it anymore. She turned off her show and turned on the interview. She wondered just what she had missed. 

"So why now?" the interviewer asked. He looked genuinely interested in the answer, but Pippa had a vague notion from somewhere that he was quite good at his job. 

"I had someone close to me tell me that by 'coming out' as it were, I could do a great deal of good. And I will admit, having a young person in my household now, being a role model for her, has changed my thinking on the matter. I have only ever wanted to do what was good for the Commonwealth, to be useful to my people. I feel like this is an important, a necessary, way to accomplish that. If I have made one person's life better, then I will have done something worthwhile."

Pippa blinked at the tv. She hadn't expected Hecate to be so forthright. It looked good on her. 

"If I may go off script here a bit?" Thomas asked and Hecate really had no choice but to allow it. "Is there anyone special in your life?"

Pippa expected Hecate to purse her lips or otherwise look annoyed but she didn't. 

"I have many special people in my life, but if you're referring to a romantic partner, then no. I…" Hecate paused and Thomas allowed the silence to build naturally. She visibly swallowed and suddenly looked more vulnerable than Pippa had ever seen her in public. "I thought…"

Pippa's breath caught in her throat. Hecate wasn't… 

"There was someone, in the past, who I thought… Well, you see, it's very hard to be in a relationship with a queen, particularly one who felt like she couldn't be honest with her country." Hecate's smile was soft and Pippa just knew Hecate was thinking about her. She was telling the entire country that she was in love with Pippa and Pippa wanted to turn the television off again. She couldn't stand the pain, the wistfulness, in Hecate's voice. But she couldn't turn it off. 

"It's revelatory, to love someone so wholeheartedly and I hope it's something everyone gets to experience. It… Even though this person is no longer in my life, she changed me."

Pippa didn't know when she had started crying, but her cheeks were wet with tears. Hecate had just… She has just… Pippa didn't know what to do. She needed to see Hecate. She needed to talk to her. Pippa turned off the tv, not bothering to watch the end of the interview, and rushed out to her car. She peeled out of her parking space and drove the too familiar route to Buckingham as quickly as she could. She needed to get to the palace before she had a chance to think because she knew once she did, she wouldn't be able to drive anymore. Her hands were already shaking. 

Pippa pulled up to the private entrance and expected to have to talk her way inside but instead she was simply waved through. Her usual parking spot was empty and she pulled in with less care than she normally would. She wanted to run, but she kept a regular, quick pace instead. At each security checkpoint, she was given a cursory look over and allowed to pass until suddenly she was in the private part of the palace. She followed the voices to the sitting room. No one seemed to be watching the door, so it was nothing for her to open it and slide inside. She didn't want to cause a disruption if the interview was still taking place but she needed to be in the room. 

"...thank you and goodnight," Thomas said. Pippa waited a beat for the camera to go dark before she pushed the rest of the way into the room. Hecate was just standing when she caught sight of Pippa. Pippa thought she must look a mess but she didn't care. Mindless of the other people in the room, she strode over to Hecate and flung herself into Hecate's arms. Hecate was surprised but she caught Pippa around the waist. 

"Oh, Hecate," Pippa cupped Hecate's face in her hands. "You're an idiot. You're an idiot and I'm an idiot _and I love you_." With tears still on her face, Pippa leaned in and kissed Hecate. She kissed her hard, almost unaware that Hecate was kissing her back just as vehemently. "I love you," she said as she started crying in earnest. 

Hecate kissed Pippa's forehead then rested her own against it. "I love you too," she whispered as she wiped Pippa’s tears away. They kissed again and again ignoring everyone in the room who was now staring at them. "I love you so very much." 

Someone, it had to be Julie, muttered, "it's about damn time," into the otherwise quiet room and brought Pippa back to reality. 

"Oh dear," Pippa said as she looked around the room. "I seem to have made quite a spectacle."

Hecate pulled Pippa further into her arms. "I don't care."

Pippa smiled a watery smile as she looked up at Hecate. She reached up and swiped her thumb over the edge of Hecate's lips, fixing her lipstick. "Still, it might be best if we continued this conversation later."

Hecate reluctantly let Pippa go but she took Pippa's hand in her own. Suddenly she was in command of the room once again. She looked at Thomas imperiously. 

"I assume you don't need me for anything else?" 

"No, ma'am," he replied. He looked like it was taking quite the effort not to ask any questions. 

"Good." Hecate looked around the room gauging if there was anyone she needed to talk to. There wasn't. "I am retiring for the night." She looked pointedly at Ada. "It would be best if I wasn't disturbed."

"Yes, ma'am," Ada replied, shooting a look of her own at the attending household staff and various functionaries in the room.

Hecate squeezed Pippa's hand. "Come with me?" she asked softly.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D


	9. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all folks!

Millie looked around the cathedral in awe. Yes, they had rehearsed in there the day before, but that hadn't prepared her for the grandeur of the place when it was all lit up and full of people. She took a step forward down the aisle. She couldn't believe she was actually a part of the wedding party either, but here she was. She got to the front of the cathedral and took her place then she turned to wait for the appearance of Pippa and then the queen. The music started playing and Millie held her breath.

***

"You know, making me a duchess seems a bit excessive," Pippa said as she looked down at the crowds from the balcony. The throngs were gathered for the royal wedding and the enthusiasm people had shown for the event made Pippa's heart swell. 

"Nonsense. It's entirely appropriate, as you well know. Besides, I could have made you a princess," Hecate threatened. She couldn't think of anywhere she would rather be than with Pippa in that moment. She beamed at Pippa and anyone who happened to be nearby. 

Pippa made a face. "I'm too old to be a princess."

"Mmmm. Maybe for your birthday next year." Hecate completely ignored Pippa's objections. "Or for our one year anniversary." Either sounded good really and she did love teasing Pippa.

Pippa pursed her lips. "You're assuming we're still going to be married in a year, which we very well might not be if you keep up with this ridiculousness."

"Princess Pippa, the Queen's consort. It has a nice ring." Hecate smirked and Pippa couldn't tell her real intent. Instead, Pippa took Hecate's hand and squeezed it. 

"Just wave to the crowd, darling. We'll talk about this later." She let go of Hecate's hand, kissed her cheek, and waved as the crowd roared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said before, I love, love, love this universe and I never want to stop writing in it. Thank you all soooooo much for all of your kudos and comments. They make my day, they make my week, they generally improve my life. If you love this universe as much as I do, come yell at me on tumblr and give me prompts for them because I refuse to be finished writing in it. I’m on tumblr @twtd11.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments inspire me to keep writing. I'm on tumblr @twtd11.


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